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Feed Intake Patterns of Cows Fed High Fat Grain Mixtures1
Feed Intake Patterns of Cows Fed High Fat Grain Mixtures 1 A. J. HEINRICHS, D. L. PALMQUlST, and H. R. CONRAD Department of Dairy Science Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
Wooster 44691
observed when 5 or 101~/oprotected tallow was added to the concentrate. Other studies (9, 10, 12) showed no effect of added dietary fat on total daily intake of dry matter. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of added fat (10% of concentrate dry matter), either as tallow or hydrolyzed animalvegetable fat, 2 on eating patterns of lactating dairy cattle.
ABSTRACT
Eating patterns were studied in lactating cows fed grain mixes (50% of feed dry matter) containing 10% fancy bleachable tallow or blended animal-vegetable fat in two trials. Length and size of initial meals were reduced by tallow in both trials and by blended fat in the second trial. The number and size of spontaneous meals tended to increase when either fat source was fed so that total daily consumption of all grain mixes was not different. High fat in concentrate should not be used in feeding conditions that have restricted time.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
INTRODUCTION
Feeding various forms of fat to dairy cows as an alternate energy source for milk production has attracted considerable attention, However, little detailed information is available on effects of fat on eating behavior in ruminants (9). Intake of feed dry matter was maintained when 15% protected tallow was fed but was reduced when 30% was added (11). This was attributed to increased energy density of the diet. Total dry matter intake of sheep was reduced when 7 or 14% of the feed was a high fat supplement (two-thirds tallow, one-third skim milk) in either a liquid or dry form fed with dry hay (7). Cows ate slower when the concentrate mixture contained 15% protected tallow and was fed with hay and silage (10). No effect was
Received September 22, 1981. ]Approved as Journal Article No. 159-81 of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691. 2Unifat-M-37, Jacob Stern & Sons, Inc., Jenkintown, PA. 1982 J Dairy Sci. 65:1325--1328
A 3 x 3 Latin square design was replicated with six Holstein cows in midlactation. Within each trial animals were of similar body weight (623 to 660 and 526 to 583 kg for trials 1 and 2) and produced similar amounts of milk (21.4 to 22.6 kg and 16.3 to 17.3 kg). All diets were fed ad libitum in a weight ratio of 1:2:3 (as fed) of alfalfa hay:grain: corn silage. This approximated a weight ratio of 1:2:1 dry matter. Rations were adjusted to allow about 5% refusal. Grain was fed alone in an experimental manger similar to that described by Conrad et al. (4); hay and corn silage were fed in an adjacent manger. Animals had ready access to both mangers. Experimental mangers were suspended on pressure transducers connected electronically to a pen recorder which responded linearly to changing weight. The precision of a single measurement for feed consumption was + 50 g. Coincidental pressures on the mangers during eating periods clearly defined periods of meals, and the amount consumed was determined from the mean difference measured before and after each meal. Arbitrary criteria for determining when a meal was eaten were 1) a m i n i m u m of 100 g of grain eaten (2x the sensitivity of the recorder) and 2) a m i n i m u m interval of 2.5 rain between meals.
1325
1326
HEINRICHS ET AL.
The three concentrates were: 1 ) a standard herd mix containing corn 50.0%, oats 21.7%, and soybean meal 18.0% (control); 2) a similar isonitrogenous diet containing 10% hydrolyzed animal-vegetable fat; and 3) a similar isonitrogenous diet containing 10% tallow (see Table 1). All grain mixtures were balanced to contain 18.5% crude protein. Feed was offered 2× per day, and refusals were collected 1× per day. A 10-day adjustment was allowed after diet changes before data were collected. Measurements were during two consecutive 24-h periods. Data were analyzed by the least squares analysis of variance program of Harvey (5). The analysis separated a.m. and p.m. feedings; however, as no differences were significant between a.m. and p.m. feedings, a.m. and p.m. data were combined for final analysis. RESULTS A N D D|SCUSSION
Data are summarized in Tables 2 and 3. Whereas number of meals was similar for all diets in Trial 1, weights of initial meals were reduced by feeding high fat grains, although only tallow reduced intake per meal significantly (3.3 kg vs. 2.1 kg, P<.05). Length of initial meals was insignificantly less when tallow was fed, apparently because of the large standard
error (1.5 kg) of these observations. In Trial 2, meal numbers were also similar for all three rations, but weights of initial meals were reduced from 3.0 for control to 2.3 and 2.1 kg (P<.05) for blended fat and tallow diets. Length of meals also was reduced by the high fat grains from 9.5 to 6.1 and 7.5 min (P<.05, Table 3). Spontaneous meals (all those following initial meals) were similar in weight and length for all diets in both trials. Total grain intake per day was similar for all diets in both trials, as the animals consumed all of the grain offered each day. Total daily intakes of other dietary components (silage and hay) were also similar for all diets. The reduction in quantity and length of initial meals suggests a reduced relative acceptability and palatability of grain mixes containing 10% added animal-vegetable fat or tallow. Alternatively, satiety signals may be achieved earlier when fat is fed. Although many physiological functions change as a result of eating, only a few appear to have an important influence in controlling meal size (2). Any combinations of gustatory, olfactory, or tactile stimuli can influence the amount of total feed eaten and affect eating patterns of ruminants (t, 3). These trials show that total intake was not
TABLE 1. Feed composition.
Control
10% animalvegetable fat
Corn
50.0
45.0
45.0
Oats
21.7
middlings Soybean meal Alfalfa meal Molasses Animal-vegetable fat Tallow, fancy bleaehable Urea Dicalcium phosphate Limestone Salt, iodized Vitamin A-30 Vitamin D
18.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 ... .72 1.0 1.0 .58 .063 .03
17.0 25.O
17.0 25.0
10% Tallow
(% DM)
Wheat
Mcal/kg DM
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 65, No. 7, 1982
4.5
i0.0
. . .
10.0
•..
i9
i.9
1.0
1.0
.09 .01 4.9
.09 .01 4.9
TECHNICAL NOTE
1 32 7
TABLE 2. Average number, weight, and length of meals, and total grain consumed per 12-h, Trial 1.
Control
10% animalvegetable fat
10% Tallow
SE
No. of meals Initial Spontaneous
1 3.0
1 4.3
1 4.0
Weight of meals (DM) Initial, kg Spontaneous, kg
3.3 a .5
2.7 ab .5
2.1 b .6
.3 .1 1.5 .5
Length of meal Initial, min Spontaneous, rain Total grain consumed, kg
11.7 4.1
12.3 4.3
9.0 5.0
4.5
4.5
4.4
a'bMeans on the same row with different superscripts differ (P<.05).
TABLE 3. Average number, weight, and length of meals, and total grain consumed per 12-h, Trial 2.
Control
10% animalvegetable fat
10% Tallow
SE
No. of meals Initial Spontaneous
1 3.0
1 3.9
1 3.5
.3
Weight of meals (DM) Initial, kg Spontaneous, kg
3.0 a .5
2.3 b .6
2. lb .6
.2 .1
Length of meals Initial, min Spontaneous, rain
9.5 a 3.5
6.1 b 3.4
7.5 b 3.4
.8
Total grain consumed, kg
4.4
4.4
4.3
.4
a'bMeans on the same row with different superscripts differ (P<.05).
affected by the addition o f 10% added animalvegetable fat or tallow when grain mixes were offered t h r o u g h o u t the entire day. A l t h o u g h rate of intake was similar for all grain mixtures, shorter initial meal reduced total c o n s u m p t i o n of that meal. Thus, in c o n d i t i o n s where eating t i m e is restricted, such as in a milking parlor, 10% added fat may reduce total c o n s u m p t i o n of grain.
M a n a g e m e n t systems which include feeding high fat grains should allow for reduced initial c o n s u m p t i o n by allowing animals access to grain over a longer time. C o m p l e t e m i x e d rations provide an excellent means of incorporating high fat grains into the feeding system (6). This eliminates individual animal preferences and aids in accurate balancing of the ration. Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 65, No. 7, 1982
1328
HEINRICHS ET AL.
W h e r e e a t i n g t i m e is n o t r e s t r i c t e d , f a t c a n be used to increase total diet energy without affecting either grain or total feed inake. REFERENCES
1 Arnold, J. W. 1966. The special senses in grazing animals. 2. Smell, taste, and touch and dietary habits in sheep. Australian J. Agric. Res. 17:531. 2 Baile, C. A., and J. M. Forbes. 1974. Control of feed intake and regulation of energy balance in ruminants. Physiol. Rev. 54:160. 3 Campling, R. C., and C. A. Morgan. 1981. Eating behavior o f housed dairy cows -- a review. Dairy Sci. Abstr. 43:57. 4 Conrad, H. R., C. A. Baile, and J. Mayer. 1977. Changing patterns and suppression of feed intake with increasing amounts of dietary nonprotein nitrogen in ruminants. J. Dairy Sci. 60:1725. 5 Harvey, W. R. 1960_ Least-square analysis of data with unequal subclass numbers. US Dept. Agric., Agric. Res. Serv., ARS-20-80. 6 Heinrichs, A. J., T. E. Noyes, and D. L. Palmquist.
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 65, No. 7, 1982
7
8
9 10
11
12
1981. Dietary fat for milk and fat production in commercial dairy herds. J. Dairy Sci. 64:353. Kowalczyk, J., E. R. Orskov, J. J. Robinson, and C. S. Stewart. 1977. Effect of fat supplementation on voluntary food intake and rumen metabolism in sheep. Br. J. Nutr. 37:251. Palmquist, D. L., and H. R. Conrad. 1978. High fat rations for dairy cows. Effects on feed intake, milk, and fat production and plasma metabolites. J. Dairy Sci. 61:890. Palmquist, D. L., and T. C. Jenkins. 1980. Fat in lactation rations: review. J. Dairy Sci. 63:1. Sharma, H. R., J. R. Ingalls, and J. A. McKirdy. 1978. Replacing barley with protected tallow in ration of lactating Holstein cows. J. Dairy Sci. 61: 574. Smith, N. E., W. L. Dunkley, and A. A. Franke. 1978. Effects of feeding protected tallow to dairy cows in early lactation. J. Dairy Sci. 61:747. Wrenn, T. R., J. Bitanan, R. A. Waterman, J. R. Weyant, D. L. Wood, L. Strozinski, and N. W. Hooven, Jr. 1978. Feeding protected and unprotected tallow to lactating cows. J. Dairy Sci. 61: 49.
Wooster 44691
observed when 5 or 101~/oprotected tallow was added to the concentrate. Other studies (9, 10, 12) showed no effect of added dietary fat on total daily intake of dry matter. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of added fat (10% of concentrate dry matter), either as tallow or hydrolyzed animalvegetable fat, 2 on eating patterns of lactating dairy cattle.
ABSTRACT
Eating patterns were studied in lactating cows fed grain mixes (50% of feed dry matter) containing 10% fancy bleachable tallow or blended animal-vegetable fat in two trials. Length and size of initial meals were reduced by tallow in both trials and by blended fat in the second trial. The number and size of spontaneous meals tended to increase when either fat source was fed so that total daily consumption of all grain mixes was not different. High fat in concentrate should not be used in feeding conditions that have restricted time.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
INTRODUCTION
Feeding various forms of fat to dairy cows as an alternate energy source for milk production has attracted considerable attention, However, little detailed information is available on effects of fat on eating behavior in ruminants (9). Intake of feed dry matter was maintained when 15% protected tallow was fed but was reduced when 30% was added (11). This was attributed to increased energy density of the diet. Total dry matter intake of sheep was reduced when 7 or 14% of the feed was a high fat supplement (two-thirds tallow, one-third skim milk) in either a liquid or dry form fed with dry hay (7). Cows ate slower when the concentrate mixture contained 15% protected tallow and was fed with hay and silage (10). No effect was
Received September 22, 1981. ]Approved as Journal Article No. 159-81 of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster 44691. 2Unifat-M-37, Jacob Stern & Sons, Inc., Jenkintown, PA. 1982 J Dairy Sci. 65:1325--1328
A 3 x 3 Latin square design was replicated with six Holstein cows in midlactation. Within each trial animals were of similar body weight (623 to 660 and 526 to 583 kg for trials 1 and 2) and produced similar amounts of milk (21.4 to 22.6 kg and 16.3 to 17.3 kg). All diets were fed ad libitum in a weight ratio of 1:2:3 (as fed) of alfalfa hay:grain: corn silage. This approximated a weight ratio of 1:2:1 dry matter. Rations were adjusted to allow about 5% refusal. Grain was fed alone in an experimental manger similar to that described by Conrad et al. (4); hay and corn silage were fed in an adjacent manger. Animals had ready access to both mangers. Experimental mangers were suspended on pressure transducers connected electronically to a pen recorder which responded linearly to changing weight. The precision of a single measurement for feed consumption was + 50 g. Coincidental pressures on the mangers during eating periods clearly defined periods of meals, and the amount consumed was determined from the mean difference measured before and after each meal. Arbitrary criteria for determining when a meal was eaten were 1) a m i n i m u m of 100 g of grain eaten (2x the sensitivity of the recorder) and 2) a m i n i m u m interval of 2.5 rain between meals.
1325
1326
HEINRICHS ET AL.
The three concentrates were: 1 ) a standard herd mix containing corn 50.0%, oats 21.7%, and soybean meal 18.0% (control); 2) a similar isonitrogenous diet containing 10% hydrolyzed animal-vegetable fat; and 3) a similar isonitrogenous diet containing 10% tallow (see Table 1). All grain mixtures were balanced to contain 18.5% crude protein. Feed was offered 2× per day, and refusals were collected 1× per day. A 10-day adjustment was allowed after diet changes before data were collected. Measurements were during two consecutive 24-h periods. Data were analyzed by the least squares analysis of variance program of Harvey (5). The analysis separated a.m. and p.m. feedings; however, as no differences were significant between a.m. and p.m. feedings, a.m. and p.m. data were combined for final analysis. RESULTS A N D D|SCUSSION
Data are summarized in Tables 2 and 3. Whereas number of meals was similar for all diets in Trial 1, weights of initial meals were reduced by feeding high fat grains, although only tallow reduced intake per meal significantly (3.3 kg vs. 2.1 kg, P<.05). Length of initial meals was insignificantly less when tallow was fed, apparently because of the large standard
error (1.5 kg) of these observations. In Trial 2, meal numbers were also similar for all three rations, but weights of initial meals were reduced from 3.0 for control to 2.3 and 2.1 kg (P<.05) for blended fat and tallow diets. Length of meals also was reduced by the high fat grains from 9.5 to 6.1 and 7.5 min (P<.05, Table 3). Spontaneous meals (all those following initial meals) were similar in weight and length for all diets in both trials. Total grain intake per day was similar for all diets in both trials, as the animals consumed all of the grain offered each day. Total daily intakes of other dietary components (silage and hay) were also similar for all diets. The reduction in quantity and length of initial meals suggests a reduced relative acceptability and palatability of grain mixes containing 10% added animal-vegetable fat or tallow. Alternatively, satiety signals may be achieved earlier when fat is fed. Although many physiological functions change as a result of eating, only a few appear to have an important influence in controlling meal size (2). Any combinations of gustatory, olfactory, or tactile stimuli can influence the amount of total feed eaten and affect eating patterns of ruminants (t, 3). These trials show that total intake was not
TABLE 1. Feed composition.
Control
10% animalvegetable fat
Corn
50.0
45.0
45.0
Oats
21.7
middlings Soybean meal Alfalfa meal Molasses Animal-vegetable fat Tallow, fancy bleaehable Urea Dicalcium phosphate Limestone Salt, iodized Vitamin A-30 Vitamin D
18.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 ... .72 1.0 1.0 .58 .063 .03
17.0 25.O
17.0 25.0
10% Tallow
(% DM)
Wheat
Mcal/kg DM
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 65, No. 7, 1982
4.5
i0.0
. . .
10.0
•..
i9
i.9
1.0
1.0
.09 .01 4.9
.09 .01 4.9
TECHNICAL NOTE
1 32 7
TABLE 2. Average number, weight, and length of meals, and total grain consumed per 12-h, Trial 1.
Control
10% animalvegetable fat
10% Tallow
SE
No. of meals Initial Spontaneous
1 3.0
1 4.3
1 4.0
Weight of meals (DM) Initial, kg Spontaneous, kg
3.3 a .5
2.7 ab .5
2.1 b .6
.3 .1 1.5 .5
Length of meal Initial, min Spontaneous, rain Total grain consumed, kg
11.7 4.1
12.3 4.3
9.0 5.0
4.5
4.5
4.4
a'bMeans on the same row with different superscripts differ (P<.05).
TABLE 3. Average number, weight, and length of meals, and total grain consumed per 12-h, Trial 2.
Control
10% animalvegetable fat
10% Tallow
SE
No. of meals Initial Spontaneous
1 3.0
1 3.9
1 3.5
.3
Weight of meals (DM) Initial, kg Spontaneous, kg
3.0 a .5
2.3 b .6
2. lb .6
.2 .1
Length of meals Initial, min Spontaneous, rain
9.5 a 3.5
6.1 b 3.4
7.5 b 3.4
.8
Total grain consumed, kg
4.4
4.4
4.3
.4
a'bMeans on the same row with different superscripts differ (P<.05).
affected by the addition o f 10% added animalvegetable fat or tallow when grain mixes were offered t h r o u g h o u t the entire day. A l t h o u g h rate of intake was similar for all grain mixtures, shorter initial meal reduced total c o n s u m p t i o n of that meal. Thus, in c o n d i t i o n s where eating t i m e is restricted, such as in a milking parlor, 10% added fat may reduce total c o n s u m p t i o n of grain.
M a n a g e m e n t systems which include feeding high fat grains should allow for reduced initial c o n s u m p t i o n by allowing animals access to grain over a longer time. C o m p l e t e m i x e d rations provide an excellent means of incorporating high fat grains into the feeding system (6). This eliminates individual animal preferences and aids in accurate balancing of the ration. Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 65, No. 7, 1982
1328
HEINRICHS ET AL.
W h e r e e a t i n g t i m e is n o t r e s t r i c t e d , f a t c a n be used to increase total diet energy without affecting either grain or total feed inake. REFERENCES
1 Arnold, J. W. 1966. The special senses in grazing animals. 2. Smell, taste, and touch and dietary habits in sheep. Australian J. Agric. Res. 17:531. 2 Baile, C. A., and J. M. Forbes. 1974. Control of feed intake and regulation of energy balance in ruminants. Physiol. Rev. 54:160. 3 Campling, R. C., and C. A. Morgan. 1981. Eating behavior o f housed dairy cows -- a review. Dairy Sci. Abstr. 43:57. 4 Conrad, H. R., C. A. Baile, and J. Mayer. 1977. Changing patterns and suppression of feed intake with increasing amounts of dietary nonprotein nitrogen in ruminants. J. Dairy Sci. 60:1725. 5 Harvey, W. R. 1960_ Least-square analysis of data with unequal subclass numbers. US Dept. Agric., Agric. Res. Serv., ARS-20-80. 6 Heinrichs, A. J., T. E. Noyes, and D. L. Palmquist.
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 65, No. 7, 1982
7
8
9 10
11
12
1981. Dietary fat for milk and fat production in commercial dairy herds. J. Dairy Sci. 64:353. Kowalczyk, J., E. R. Orskov, J. J. Robinson, and C. S. Stewart. 1977. Effect of fat supplementation on voluntary food intake and rumen metabolism in sheep. Br. J. Nutr. 37:251. Palmquist, D. L., and H. R. Conrad. 1978. High fat rations for dairy cows. Effects on feed intake, milk, and fat production and plasma metabolites. J. Dairy Sci. 61:890. Palmquist, D. L., and T. C. Jenkins. 1980. Fat in lactation rations: review. J. Dairy Sci. 63:1. Sharma, H. R., J. R. Ingalls, and J. A. McKirdy. 1978. Replacing barley with protected tallow in ration of lactating Holstein cows. J. Dairy Sci. 61: 574. Smith, N. E., W. L. Dunkley, and A. A. Franke. 1978. Effects of feeding protected tallow to dairy cows in early lactation. J. Dairy Sci. 61:747. Wrenn, T. R., J. Bitanan, R. A. Waterman, J. R. Weyant, D. L. Wood, L. Strozinski, and N. W. Hooven, Jr. 1978. Feeding protected and unprotected tallow to lactating cows. J. Dairy Sci. 61: 49.