Feed Efficiency Improvement in Dairy Cows – An Opportunity

INTRODUCTION

Feed efficiency is defined as the relative ability of a dairy cow to convert feed nutrients into milk components. Feed efficiency relates to the term dairy efficiency and dry matter efficiency. It is measured by a simple mathematical formula as kg of milk produced per kg of dry matter consumed by a dairy cow. When the feed efficiency concept is applied, efficient utilization of nutrients was followed by less percentage of nutrients excreted through dung.

This makes the cow highly efficient in withdrawing energy from a well balanced complete diet. Therefore, there is a rationale in optimizing the dry matter intake rather than maximizing the dry matter intake of dairy cows. It helps the nutritionist and dairy farmers to manage the cost of feeding caused by price fluctuation around the year, and results in fetching higher income over the feed cost.

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