Nutrient requirement

Nutrients required for maintenance of adult cattle per head per day

Nutrient requirements of growing cattle per head per day
(Growth rate – 550 g/day)

(Source: I.C.A.R., 1985)

Straw can form the roughage in the absence of grasses and in such cases concentrates should be given for maintenance. For lactating cows, 1kg of concentrate mixture (compounded feed) (0.14-0.16 kg DCP and 0.70 kg TDN) may be required for every 2.5 – 3.0 kg of milk over and above the maintenance allowance. After parturition, the cow should be given the same type of feed and the same quantity as before and the concentrate allowance should be only gradually increased to avoid digestive troubles like acidosis, indigestion, etc.

In the case of young cross-bred cows below four years of age to meet the needs for growth, it is desirable to give additional concentrate allowance at the rate of 1kg for animals in first lactation and 0.5kg in the second lactation over and above the maintenance and production needs.

Milking animals should always have free access to clean fresh drinking water.

Bureau of Indian Standards specification for mineral mixture for cattle

Tips for feeding dairy cattle

• Concentrate must be fed individually according to production requirements.
• Good quality roughage saves concentrates. Approximately 20 kg of grasses (guinea, napier, etc.) or 6-8 kg legume fodder (cowpea, lucerne) can replace 1 kg of concentrate mixture (0.14-0.16 kg of DCP) in terms of protein content.
• 1 kg straw can replace 4-5 kg of grass on dry matter basis.In this case the deficiency of protein and other nutrients should be compensated by a suitable concentrate mixture.
• Regularity in feeding should be followed. Concentrate mixture can be fed at or preferably before milking – half in the morning and the other half in the evening – before the two milkings. Half the roughage ration can be fed in the forenoon after watering and cleaning the animals. The other half is fed in the evening, after milking and watering. High yielding animals may be fed three times a day (both roughage and concentrate). Increasing the frequency of concentrate feeding will help maintain normal rumen motility and optimum milk fat levels.
• Over-feeding concentrates may result in off feed and indigestion.
• Abrupt change in the feed should be avoided.
• Grains should be ground to medium degree of fineness before being fed to cattle.
• Long and thick-stemmed fodders such as Napier may be chopped and fed.
• Highly moist and tender grasses may be wilted or mixed with straw before feeding. Legume fodders may be mixed with straw or other grasses to prevent the occurrence of bloat and indigestion.
• Silage and other feeds, which may impart flavour to milk, may be fed after milking.
• Concentrate mixture in the form of mash may be moistened with water and fed immediately. Pellets can be fed as such.
• All feeds must be stored properly in well-ventilated and dry places. Mouldy or otherwise damaged feed should not be fed.
• For high yielding animals, the optimum concentrate roughage ratio on dry matter basis should be 60:40.