Cows consume a balanced diet consisting of grass, hay, silage and other forages. Dairy farmers collaborate with nutritionists to guarantee all essential vitamins and minerals are provided in their meals.
Cattle chew at least 50 times per minute and move their jaws 40,000 times daily. Cows’ teeth are unique; instead of having top incisors, they possess a hard leather-like pad at the rear.
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Grass
Grass is an essential source of protein in the food chain. Not only does it form the basis for nutritious dairy products, but it also aids in keeping people healthy by increasing energy levels.
Cows typically feed on grasses, legumes, hay and silage as part of their diet. To supplement this they receive a grain supplement to help meet their dietary needs.
A mature beef or dairy cow requires between 2.5% and 3% of its body weight in grass each day, depending on age. During the winter months, they may require additional supplemental hay for warmth.
Hay
Cows typically graze on grass and hay, consuming around 2.5% to 3% of their body weight in forage each day. Additionally, they supplement this with various fruits, nuts and vegetables for a balanced diet.
When it comes to hay, they have a range of forage types such as alfalfa, oats, barley or rye. Additionally, they may eat grain hay which is made from harvested grains like oats or barley before seed heads have formed.
Grass hay is packed with fiber and essential for a healthy digestive tract. It stimulates salivation and encourages rumen development, keeping the stomach functioning optimally. Furthermore, grass hay provides an abundant supply of energy, protein and essential nutrients.
Almond Hulls
Almond hulls are by-products of the harvesting process and an important regional by-product for dairy cattle in California, with around 2 billion kilograms produced in 2017.
California Department of Food and Agriculture regulates what can be sold as almond hull feed. They require that these hulls contain less than 15 percent crude fiber.
A study published in the Journal of Animal Science examined the nutritional composition of various varieties of almond hulls. They discovered that Nonpareil hulls contained higher concentrations of fermentable carbohydrates (glucose, fructose and sucrose) than other varieties.
These results could enable nutritionists to more accurately formulate diets for lactating cows that include almond hulls. Furthermore, the California Department of Food and Agriculture could benefit by regulating the fiber composition of AH sold as feed.
Canola Meal
When it comes to providing protein for your cow’s diet, Canola Meal is an ideal option. Not only is it high in protein and balanced amino acid profile, but it also contains essential vitamins and minerals like choline, biotin, folic acid, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin.
Studies have demonstrated that canola meal can improve milk production and nitrogen excretion in dairy cows. One feeding trial demonstrated that cows fed with canola meal secreted two pounds more milk per day than those fed soybean meal.
Citrus Pulp
The citrus pulp and peel that remain after juice extraction is dried and transformed into pellets for feeding dairy cows as a source of energy and calcium.
Citrus pulp has a low protein content (around 7%), but is high in digestible fiber. It often gets combined with other types of feed.
Generally, citrus pulp should not be used as a replacement for corn grain in the diet of dairy cows that graze. Doing so could lead to rumen parakeratosis – an intestinal disorder in which the rumen papillae harden and prevent nutrient absorption – when cattle consume citrus pulp.
Research has demonstrated that adding 9% and 18% of pelleted citrus pulp to normal rations did not significantly alter the average daily gain, milk production or quality in dairy cows fed highly polyunsaturated fat diets.
