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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Division on Earth and Life Studies; Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Eighth Revised Edition. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2021 Aug 30.

21Nutrient Requirement Tables

Tables 21-1 to 21-3 are intended to be used as a general guide to compare the expected nutrient concentrations of diets fed to meet the minimum requirements of dairy cattle at varying stages of maturity, lactation stages, growth rates, milk production, and milk composition. The nutrient concentrations are based on the required amounts of each nutrient divided by the predicted dry matter intake (DMI) using prediction equations presented in Chapter 2 (Dry Matter Intake) for heifers and milking cows, Chapter 10 (Nutrient Requirements of the Young Calf), and Chapter 12 (Dry and Transition Cows).

Requirements for each nutrient in calves, heifers, dry cows, and milking cows are based on the calculated requirements for each nutrient provided in the individual chapters corresponding to that nutrient. Energy and protein requirements for growth are presented in Chapter 11 (Growth). Dietary rumen-undegradable protein (RUP) was estimated as the difference between total dietary crude protein (CP) and rumen-degradable protein where dietary CP is based on the expected ratio of metabolizable protein to total dietary CP. There is no specific RUP requirement as the metabolizable protein supply would depend on the microbial protein produced from rumen fermentation and RUP supplied by individual ingredients in the diet. For energy and protein, provisions for mobilization and replenishment of body reserves during the lactation cycle have been included.

Deviations from expected DMIs will result in different nutrient concentrations required to meet the animal's nutrient requirements. In addition, nutrient requirements for metabolic fecal excretion and availability of some nutrients are driven by both DMI and the amount and composition of the individual feed ingredients within the diet. Thus, the most accurate estimates of the actual nutrient concentrations needed to meet the animal's requirements are best depicted by using the diet software.

TABLE 21-1Predicted Nutrient Concentrations (DM Basis) Needed to Meet the Nutrient Requirements for Holstein Cattle at Varying Stages of Lactation and Ages of Maturity

Growing Calves and HeifersDry CowsaLactating Cows by Parity (Body Weight) and Days in Milka
Days in MilkFirst (570 kg)Mature (700 kg)
Days Prepartum1515020100200
Age, days3010022535047560060–21d<21dMilk, kg3339535543
BW, kg65120230330420530740740Fat %3.93.63.73.53.8
Growth Rate, kg/d0.70.70.90.80.70.90.10.1Protein %3.13.02.82.83.3
Dry matter intake, kg/d1.43.96.68.59.811.013.912.320.823.925.829.427.4
ME, Mcal/kg3.682.262.091.951.922.121.932.252.392.612.582.732.60
NEL, Mcal/kg1.281.491.581.721.701.801.73
Rumen-degradable protein, %10.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.0
Rumen-undegradable protein, %6.64.42.61.72.71.94.36.27.07.57.47.5
Crude protein, %21.016.614.412.611.712.711.914.316.216.017.517.417.5
Metabolizable protein, %16.59.58.16.86.114.05.26.79.89.810.910.210.1
NDF, min %25–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–33
Forage NDF, min %19–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–25
Starch max, % (varies)15–2015–2015–2015–2015–2015–2015–2022–3022–3022–3022–3022–30
Macrominerals, %
Ca0.590.780.580.440.370.390.310.390.570.570.640.600.58
P0.450.320.260.210.180.190.190.210.350.350.390.370.35
Mg0.150.140.120.120.120.100.130.140.170.170.180.180.17
K1.000.510.520.540.560.600.620.691.030.971.101.000.99
Na0.350.170.160.160.150.160.160.170.210.210.230.220.21
Cl0.280.140.140.130.130.130.130.140.290.300.340.320.29
S0.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.20
DCAD-S mEq/kg min394245506066−100148130157135137
Trace minerals, mg/kg
Cu5161615151718199810810
Co0.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.20
I0.780.690.580.540.530.540.510.540.460.420.470.420.41
Fe90614632242813151616211916
Mn50494440384338432826312827
Se0.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.3
Zn70474136343530325758666261
Vitamins, IU/kg
Vitamin A5,2183,3903,8294,2654,6985,2885,8506,6303,0212,7963,6873,3033,103
Vitamin D1,5189241,0441,1631,2811,4421,5951,8101,0999541,0859521,021
Vitamin E864925283135851812219221920
a

Energy and protein requirements for dry and lactating cows have been adjusted for growth (0.19 and 0.1 kg/d) for first versus mature cows and changes in energy reserves (−0.36, −1.00, 0.20, −1.70, 0.21, and 0.21 kg/d) for the respective groups beginning with dry cows at less than 21 days prepartum. Days pregnant were set at 10, 60, and 110 for cows at 100, 150, and 200 DIM.

TABLE 21-2Predicted Nutrient Concentrations (DM Basis) Needed to Meet the Nutrient Requirements for Jersey Cattle at Varying Stages of Lactation and Ages of Maturity

Growing Calves and HeifersDry CowsaLactating Cows by Parity (Body Weight) and Days in Milka
Days in MilkFirst (425 kg)Mature (520 kg)
Days Prepartum1515020100200
Age, daysa3010022535047560060–21d1<21dMilk, kg2227353731
BW, kg4590175245310400555555Fat %4.94.95.04.84.8
Growth Rate, kg/d0.50.60.70.60.70.70.060.06Protein %3.93.73.53.53.7
Dry matter intake, kg/d1.03.05.16.57.48.310.49.416.519.420.523.521.9
ME, Mcal/kg3.692.412.162.022.132.252.042.192.412.722.672.802.68
NEL, Mcal/kg1.361.441.591.791.761.851.78
Rumen-degradable protein, %10.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.0
Rumen-undegradable protein, %7.84.43.13.12.91.83.76.87.68.08.07.6
Crude protein, %22.917.814.413.113.112.911.813.716.817.6181817.6
Metabolizable protein, %18.210.68.27.26.96.65.56.110.210.011.110.510.2
NDF, min %25–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–3325–33
Forage NDF, min %19–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–2519–25
Starch max, % (varies)15–2015–2015–2015–2015–2015–2015–2022–3022–3022–3022–3022–30
Macrominerals, %
Ca0.750.840.580.440.430.390.310.380.560.560.630.600.57
P0.550.340.260.210.200.190.210.230.330.340.370.350.34
Mg0.150.140.120.120.120.100.130.140.160.160.170.170.16
K1.200.500.520.530.560.600.620.680.960.891.010.920.93
Na0.430.170.160.160.160.160.160.170.200.200.210.210.20
Cl0.340.140.140.130.130.130.120.140.270.270.310.290.27
S0.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.20
DCAD-S, mEq/kg min394043506066−100133114140119124
Trace minerals, mg/kg
Cu61715151617181998988
Co0.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.200.20
I1.080.770.640.610.600.610.580.620.450.410.460.410.41
Fe110684632322913151314171614
Mn60524439424438432523282525
Se0.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.30.3
Zn84494136363530325354595653
Vitamins, IU/kg
Vitamin A6,0843,2863,7454,1624,5925,2735,8506,5102,8362,4052,7962,5202,616
Vitamin D1,7708961,0211,1351,2521,4381,5951,7741,0318751,017884951
Vitamin E904825283035851772117201819
a

Energy and protein requirements for dry and lactating cows have been adjusted for growth (0.14 and 0.06 kg/d) for first versus mature cows and changes in energy reserves (−0.24, −0.75, 0.15, −1.28, 0.16, and 0.16 kg/d) for the respective groups beginning with dry cows at less than 21 days prepartum. Days pregnant were set at 10, 60, and 110 for cows at 100, 150, and 200 DIM.

TABLE 21-3Predicted Protein and Amino Acid Requirements for First-Lactation and Mature Holstein and Jersey Cows at Varying Days in Milk

Parity (Body Weight, kg)HolsteinJersey
First (570 kg)Mature (700 kg)First (425 kg)Mature (525 kg)
Days in milk15150201002001515020100200
Milk, kg/d33395355432227353731
Milk protein, %3.063.022.762.833.263.903.703.493.463.69
Milk protein, g/d1,0101,1781,4631,5571,4028589991,2221,2801,144
Dry matter intake, kg/d20.823.925.829.427.416.519.420.523.521.9
Protein intake, g/d3,3704,0634,5155,1164,7952,7723,4143,6904,2303,854
Rumen degradable, g/d2,0802,3902,5802,9402,7401,6501,9402,0502,3502,190
Rumen undegradable, g/d1,2901,6731,9352,1762,0551,1221,4741,6401,8801,664
Net protein, g/d1,4621,6672,0052,1411,9681,2071,3821,6441,7491,586
Metabolizable protein, g/d (eff. = 0.69)2,0342,3332,8022,9992,7571,6861,9422,3062,4572,228
Target Absorbed Essential Amino AcidsTarget EfficiencyTarget Absorbed Amino Acids, g/d
Histidine0.7553617379723954506761
Isoleucine0.6910812615216414988113117142127
Leucine0.74182211254273249137183179229206
Lysine0.70154179216232212120162156202183
Methionine0.7049576974683952526659
Phenylalanine0.6011313115716915487114115143129
Threonine0.6010412014315514280107103133121
Tryptophan0.6325293538341926253229
Valine0.8512013916818116596127127159143
Copyright 2021 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
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