Recent Applications of Liquid Supplements in Dairy Rations

摘要

Liquid feed supplements (LFS) have a long history of use in dairy cattle feeding. Initially, LFS were used in lick tanks as a source of non-protein nitrogen (NPN) and energy for dry cows and replacement heifers. More recently, with the increased popularity of feeding total mixed rations (TMR), LFS have been marketed with the following claims: safe and uniform delivery vehicle for micro-nutrients and NPN to TMR, improved NPN utilization, delivery vehicle for fat supplements, delivery vehicle for molasses or rumen-fermentable carbohydrate to TMR, reduced dustiness of concentrates and TMR, reduced sorting of TMR in the feed bunk, increased intake of TMR, increased ruminal fiber digestion and microbial protein synthesis, and increased bulk density of T