Energy and protein supplements for straw-based winter diets for suckler cows

Abstract

SUMMARYA variety of energy and protein supplements for winter diets based on barley straw were tested in experiments carried out over three years with spring-calving suckler cows. All the supplements resulted in satisfactory calf weaning weights and cow performance but there were indications that a low level (2·3 kg) of barley plus 68 g urea adversely affected the birth weights of calves and their performance from birth to turnout.