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Feeding the Dairy Cow
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FEEDING THE DAIRY COW is a detailed guide to the principles and practice of providing the cow with the nutrients to support efficient milk production. As such it is an ideal companion to the RUMNUT computer programs. The authors have taken the UK Metabolisable Energy, Metabolisable Protein and mineral systems and developed novel practical methods for designing diets and meeting the demands of the cow at different stages of the production cycle from calving, through lactation and into the dry period. Diet formulation is considered in detail with a series of look-up tables and a seperate computer program (supplied on CD-ROM) allowing rations to be calculated manually and on a computer. Examples and a combination of manual and computer based exercises will help readers to make practical use of the information. |
The importance of nutrition in efficient milk production is outlined in the first part of the book and the feeds available for dairy cows are then considered. Grass and conserved feeds are central to efficient milk production and are considered first followed by the supplementary feeds. The next section of the book reviews the science and practice of feed intake control and energy, protein and mineral metabolism in the dairy. The calculation of feed intake, energy, protein and major mineral requirements according to the current UK standards is then described with worked examples, manual and computer exercises. The final section of the book considers practical aspects of diet formulation with chapters on manipulating milk composition, feeding the high yielding cow, managing the cow before and after calving, the links between nutrition and health and the assessment of rations and nutritional performance on the farm. |
Price £24.95 Available from Chalcombe Publications, Chalcombe Publications, 18 Sudbeck Lane To send an email contact Chalcombe publications or see their website. |