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Effects of Twin Pregnancy and Dry Period Feeding Strategy on Milk Production, Energy Balance, and Metabolic Profiles in Dairy Cows

Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706

rgrummer{at}wisc.edu

Abstract

The present study evaluated the interaction of pregnancy type (PT) [single (S) vs. twin (T)] and dry period feeding management (D) [close-up (CU) diet (NEL = 1.54 Mcal/kg DM) throughout the entire dry period (8W) vs. far-off (FO) diet (NEL = 1.32 Mcal/kg DM) from 60 to 21 d prior to expected calving date (ECD) followed by CU diet until calving (3W)]. Treatments were arranged in a 2x2 factorial with a randomized block design with primiparous (n = 8) and multiparous (n = 39) Holstein cows. We hypothesized that increasing the duration of feeding a close-up diet would improve metabolic status and lactation performance for cows with T, but not for cows with S. All cows were fed similarly in late lactation (90 to 60 d before ECD; diet NE_L = 1.58 Mcal/kg DM) and in early lactation (calving to 105 DIM; diet NE_L = 1.71 Mcal/kg DM). Prepartum, DMI as % of BW did not differ with D but tended to be greater for cows with S than with T. Cows with T tended to have greater BW than cows with S, but conceptus-free BW was less for cows with T than for cows with S. No differences were detected in prepartum BCS or BCS change with PT or D. Energy balance (EB) was greater for cows with S than with T, and for cows fed 8W vs. 3W. Cows with T had greater NEFA and a tendency for greater liver triglyceride (TG) and plasma β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) than cows with S. Prepartum, cows fed 3W had greater liver TG and plasma NEFA, but lower plasma BHBA than cows fed 8W. Plasma glucose and liver glycogen were less for cows with T but were not affected by D. Postpartum, there was no effect of PT or D on mean DMI as % of BW, BW, and BCS, but there was an interaction of PT x D for mean BCS. Cows that calved T were in a more positive EB than cows that calved S. Milk production was 5.2 kg/d greater for cows fed 8W; however, they were in lower EB than cows that received 3W. Postpartum, cows that calved T had lower concentrations of plasma NEFA and liver TG but greater concentrations of plasma glucose than cows that calved S. Plasma BHBA and NEFA tended to be greater for cows that received 8W than 3W. Neither PT nor D affected plasma glucose and liver glycogen. There was a tendency for an interaction of PT x D for plasma NEFA and liver TG. In contrast to our hypothesis, response to D was independent of pregnancy type. Based on milk production data from the present experiment, 8W is a more desirable feeding strategy than 3W.

Key Words: twinning • close-up diet • metabolic status • dairy cows