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Nutrition in dairy cows
Feeding dairy cows and youngstock is one of the highest costs of milk production. Successful rationing involves achieving the best possible balance between a number of key nutritional, practical and financial factors.
The amount of feed dry matter (DM) cows eat is the single most critical constraint in rationing since it determines how concentrated the ration needs to be to deliver the amounts of energy, protein and other nutrients required each day.
Cows' daily energy requirements depend on their specific requirements for maintenance, reproduction, milk production and body reserves.
Accurate details of the animals, feeds available and feeding system employed are essential for successful manual or computer diet formulation.