Nutrient intake, digestibility, milk production and composition of lactating cows fed oat hay and concentrate containing varying levels of poultry litter

Abstract

Utilization of poultry litter (PL) to replace soybean meal in cow diets was studied. 24 lactating cows divided in four groups, fed for 90 days with <italic>ad-libitum</italic> oathay and concentrate mixture to meet energy and protein requirements. Concentrate fed to control animals contained de-oiled soybean meal (DSM) as protein supplement, which was replaced at 25, 37.5 and 50 % with PL in concentrate II, III and IV, PL accounted 28, 42 and 56 % levels respectively, and fed to cows of T1, T2, T3 and T4 groups. PL contained CP 18.0 % and energy 3.75 Mcal/kg DM. DM intake (DMI) varied from 2.4 to 2.6 % of body weight, while milk production ranged from 5.6 to 6.3 kg, which were similar among four groups. Study concluded that PL can be included in the concentrate mixtures of cows up to 56 % without reduction in DMI, digestibility and milk production.