More Milk at Lower Feed Cost: Balanced Feeding Using Local Feed Resources
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9
(09 - 2026)
Abstract :
Feed cost is a major factor in dairy production, however, reducing feed costs is beneficial only when it does not negatively affect milk yield and quality. Local feed products (crop residues, agro-industrial by-products, and food-processing co-products) can partially substitute for conventional feed, depending on the nutritional value, inclusion rate, and performance effect. Wheat and rice straw, potato co-products, citrus pulp, brewer grains, distiller grains, and former food products have proven to be beneficial in dairy cows, but inappropriate substitutions can decline milk production. The idea, therefore, is not to purchase the least expensive feed, but to formulate a feed that results in more milk production at a lower cost.
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