Effects of a rumen protected B vitamin blend upon milk production and component yield in lactating dairy cows.docVIP

Vol.3, No.1, 76-82 (2013) Open Journal of Animal Sciences /10.4236/ojas.2013.31011 Effects of a rumen protected B vitamin blend upon milk production and component yield in lactating dairy cows Essi Evans , David T. Mair 1* 2 1 * 2 Essi Evans Technical Advisory Services Inc., Bowmanville, ON, Canada; Corresponding Author: essievans@sympatico.ca Jefo Nutrition Inc., Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada Received 4 November 2012; revised 8 December 2012; accepted 18 December 2012 ABSTRACT mals did not require B vitamin supplementation as these vitamins are synthesized in ample quantities by rumen microbes [1-6]. This research was so complete and so elegantly executed that B vitamin needs remained rela- tively unexplored until the last decade or so. Results from 12 switchback field trials involving 1216 cows were combined to assess the effects of a protected B vitamin blend (BVB) upon milk yield (kg), fat percentage (%), protein %, fat yield (kg) and protein yield (kg) in primiparous and multiparous cows. Trials consisted of 3 test periods executed in the order control-test-control. No diet changes other than the inclusion of 3 grams/cow/ day of the BVB during the test period occurred. Means from the two control periods were com- pared to results obtained during the test period using a paired T test. Cows include in the analysis were between 45 and 300 days in milk (DIM) at the start of the experiment and were continuously available for all periods. The provision of the BVB resulted in increased (P 0.05) milk, fat %, protein %, fat yield and protein yield. Regression models showed that the amount of milk produced had no effect upon the magnitude of the increase in milk components. The increase in milk was greatest in early lactation and declined with DIM. Protein and fat % increased with DIM in mature cows, but not in first lactation cows. Differences in fat yields between test an