Effects of low-protein supplements on the yield and composition of milk from grazing dairy cows

Abstract

Calculations based on conventional feeding standards suggest that cows grazing well-managed pasture are frequently consuming excessive quantities of protein in relation to their requirements and to the starch equivalent consumed. They also suggest that milk production from potentially high-yielding cows is limited primarily by the supply of dietary energy. This paper describes two experiments on the effects of low-protein supplements on the performance of grazing dairy cows and reports the main results on yield and composition of milk and herbage consumption. Full details and results, and some other aspects of the experiments, are being reported elsewhere.