How to feed a milk cow

In order for the cow to give the necessary norm of milk, it is necessary to correctly compile the diet. The article offers advice on how to properly feed dairy cattle. The classic diet and norms will not be superfluous.

What to feed a cow to have more milk

The ration of a dairy cow should consist of different types of feed. A varied diet is necessary for the intake of a sufficient amount of important nutrients.

Find out what to do if the cow gives little milk.

Green

Green feeds are natural for animals (in particular, in the spring-summer period) and increase milk yield. They can be consumed both freshly cut and in pasture conditions, on which animals will independently control the amount of food eaten.

These foods include:

  • herbs;
  • cereals;
  • legumes;
  • tops;
  • seaweed.

Important! Control the quality and freshness of the cut grass. The processes of decay and the formation of fungus adversely affect livestock health and milk quality.

Juicy

Juicy foods include plant foods with a moisture content of up to 90%. They include:

  • vegetables;
  • roots;
  • tubers;
  • fruits;
  • silo (including combined).

Such products have high energy value and nutritional value. Dairy cows are useful to feed with clean raw potatoes, avoiding green, as well as fodder beets and carrots. For harvesting tubers often resort to silage and steaming (this helps to increase their nutritional value).

Did you know? In the silo, up to 70-75% of moisture and 85-90% of nutrients are stored.

Rude

Coarse feeds are plant foods that contain a lot of fiber and little moisture. Among them, the most popular are:

  • hay;
  • branches
  • straw;
  • haylage.
The most important in the diet is hay, especially harvested from cereals and beans. Branches and straw are less nutritious, therefore less commonly used. Coarse feed is often susceptible to silting, which is characterized by minimal loss of nutritional value. To do this, the grass is first wilted, and then chopped. At the last stage of the workpiece, it is placed in a tank or trench and rammed to create anaerobic conditions.

Concentrates and Additives

To increase the quantity and quality of micro- and macronutrients ingested by the cow, farmers resort to the addition of concentrates and additives to the feed. In the diet of cattle dairy direction add:

  • felucen;
  • beer grains;
  • fodder yeast;
  • salt;
  • molasses;
  • compound feed;
  • a piece of chalk;
  • limestone;
  • growth stimulants;
  • cereal flour;
  • fish fat.
Nutritional supplements are especially important for highly productive cows, which lack vitamins and minerals from natural products for milk production.

Did you know? To increase milk yield and fat content of milk up to 4%, rapeseed flour can be added to the diet (up to 8.5% of the total diet).

Animal feed

As an additive for dairy cows, animal products are used. The main purpose of adding such foods to the diet is to increase the amount of protein, which helps to increase milk yield.

These foods include:

  • meat and bone meal;

  • blood meal;
  • milk;
  • serum;
  • fish products.

Proper diet

When compiling a diet for cattle in the dairy direction, some points must be taken into account (for example, the differences between dairy and pregnant cows and their needs).

Important! Overfeeding animals can lead to disruption of the digestive tract and the development of pathologies.

Cash cow

When compiling a diet, the weight and age of the animal are important. So, too thin cows should increase their intake and feed more intensively. Young cows also need a 10% increase in servings. During milking, to stabilize lactation and milk production, diet can also be increased, but in a reasonable amount. A dairy cow should consume all types of feed (green, coarse, juicy, animals), as well as additives and concentrates.

Pregnant

Proper feeding of a pregnant female is one of the main factors for successful gestation and childbirth. A special diet must be developed, starting from the moment of fertilization. Food should be nutritious and easily digestible. The cow needs to consume the norm of green and succulent feeds, especially forbs and fodder beets. Of the coarse products, preferably bean hay.

Read more with what methods to determine a cow’s pregnancy at home.

It is important to add concentrates, additives in the form of vitamins, fodder yeast, bran, chalk and limestone, as well as additives of animal origin (fish oil and meat and bone meal). All this is important to maintain a balance of nutrition, micro, macronutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Seasonal Differences

Cattle summer and winter food is different. In the summer, cows have the opportunity to graze on pastures. For this reason, green feed predominates in their diet. If grazing does not provide the animal with the necessary nutritional value, pre-prepared herbal supplements are additionally used. However, the importance of other types of feed cannot be neglected - coarse, concentrated, succulent and animal feed should also be among animal food in the summer.

Winter feeding differs from summer feeding in the absence of grazing. During this period, the basis of the diet is silage, hayed roughage and succulent products in the form of root crops.

Diet and feeding rates: table

Consumption rates of different feeds vary depending on the season and whether a pregnant cow or a cash cow.

Dry cow feeding ration: table

Winter diet for feeding a dead cow:

ViewNorm, kg
Salt0.05-0.06
Cake0.7
Bran1, 5
Straw2
Concentrates3-4
Compound feed5
Hay6
Vegetables5-7
Carrot6-7
Haylage7-8
Turnip8-9
Roots10-12
Silage12
Grass-

Find out what feed for cattle exists.

Summer diet for feeding a dead cow:

ViewNorm, kg
Salt0.05
Cakeone
Branone
Concentrates2-3
Compound feedfour
Haylage4-5
Carrot4-6
Turnip5-6
Roots6-8
Vegetables7-8
Silage7-8
Grass70
Straw-
Hay-

Dairy cow feeding ration: table

Winter cash cow ration:

ViewNorm, kg
Salt0, 07
Bran0.7
Cake1, 5
Straw2-3
Concentrates3
Compound feed4, 5
Vegetables5-6
Carrot6-7
Haylage7
Hay12
Turnipfifteen
Roots15-18
Silagethirty
Grass-

Summer ration for feeding a cash cow:

ViewNorm, kg
Salt0.06
Cakeone
Branone
Concentrates2
Compound feedfour
Carrot4-5
Haylage5
Turnip7-8
Roots7-8
Silage7-8
Vegetables9-10
Grassone hundred
Straw-
Hay-

Dairy cows need proper nutrition. A well-composed diet will increase milk yield and milk quality, as well as help maintain a healthy animal activity.

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