ARS | Publication request: Are We Feeding Our Cows Too Much Protein?

Submitted to: Hoard's Dairyman
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: February 15, 2004
Publication Date: March 25, 2004
Citation: Broderick, G.A., Olmos, J., Adams, L.N. 2004. Are we feeding our cows too much protein?. Hoard's Dairyman. 149(6):214.

Technical Abstract: To summarize, we found in two feeding trials that optimal production of milk and protein was obtained when dairy cows were fed about 16.5% CP in diets formulated from alfalfa plus corn silage, high moisture corn and solvent-extracted soybean meal. Adding greater amounts of CP to the diet (by replacing high moisture corn with SBM) did not improve production, or may have slightly reduced milk yield, but greatly increased N excretion. There was little change in fecal N over a wide range of dietary CP levels; nearly all of the extra N in the diet was excreted in the form of environmentally unstable urinary N.