PSXI-6 Evaluation of Palm kernel meal supplementation on grazing dairy cows at highlands.

摘要

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of palm kernel meal (PKM) on milk production, milk components and reproductive parameters by grazing dairy cows at 2750 meters above the sea level. Twenty-four dairy cows (BW= 519 ± 17.4 kg; Holstein×Montbeliarde) averaging 35 d in milk (DIM) at the beginning of the experiment were utilized in a 8-week randomized complete block design. Cows were grazing Pennisetum clandestinum at the same paddock, and were blocked by parity number and DIM. Cows were assigned to 1 of 3 experimental diets, which consisted of: 1) Control; no supplementation of PKM; 2) 1kg of PKM (DM); and 3) 2kg of PKM (DM). All animals received similar amount of protein (350 g) supplementation from soybean meal and urea (i.e. 78 and 22 %, respectively). The MIXED procedures of SAS were used for the variables tested. The model included treatment, with block included as a random variable. Significance was declared at P  0.24). Body weight loss was superior for cows fed Control diet compared to cows supplemented with PKM (P=0.04). Similarly cows fed 1 kg of PKM had higher BW loss than the 2 kg PKM group (P=0.02). Reproductive parameters were not altered by dietary treatment (P>0.35). In conclusion, Inclusion of 2 kg of PKM is associated with reduction of negative energy balance during peak lactation. Calculated Energy content of PKM based from performance was 0.95 Mcal/kg. Further research is required to corroborate this findings, and to determine associative effects with other ingredients.