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High Protein Oats Grain for Lactating Dairy Cows and Growing Calves^{1 ,2,}

South Dakota State University³ , Brookings 57007—0647

Abstract

High protein oats (17.6% crude protein) were compared to regular oats (14.5% crude protein) and corn as the grain ingredients fed to 30 lactating Holstein cows and 48 calves. Regular oats and corn diets were made isonitrogenous with the high protein oats diet by addition of soybean meal. During a 16-wk lactation trial, 10 cows were fed each of the three respective concentrate mixes at 1 kg/3 kg milk produced, 2.5 kg alfalfa-bromegrass hay and corn silage ad libitum. Milk production was higher when the cows were fed high protein oats rather than regular oats (22.8 vs 20.5 kg/d), but was similar to production when they were fed the corn diet (22.2 kg/d). Milk fat and protein percentages were similar between diets (3.63, 3.57 and 3.53% fat; 3.04, 3.09 and 3.06% protein, respectively). Rumen volatile fatty acid concentrations were similar between cows fed each of the three diets. In calf experiments, isonitrogenous diets were formulated to contain high protein oats, regular oats or corn and were fed ad libitum for 12 wk starting at 3 d of age. All calves also were fed 3.6 kg milk/d during week 1 through 4 and 1.8 kg/d during wk 5. Weight gains, feed intake and dry matter intake/ weight gain were similar with all three diets. Digestibilities of diets as determined with four 13 - wk - old steers/diet group were similar for all three diets, although dry matter digestibility tended to be greater for corn than for oat diets. Apparent digestibilities were: dry matter, 72.7, 73.8 and 75.3% and N, 74.8, 78.6 and 77.0%, respectively. High protein oats can effectively replace corn and soybean meal in the concentrate mix fed to lactating cows and growing calves.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the South Dakota Agr. Exp. Sta. as Publication No. 1794 of the Journal Series.

² The authors gratefully acknowledge W. L. Tucker, Exp. Sta. Statistician, for assistance in statistical analyses of the data, the personnel at the Dairy Cattle Research Unit of South Dakota State Univ. for care of the cattle, as well as E. W. Skyberg and D. A. Kipp for laboratory analyses.

³ Dairy Sci. Dept.