Nutrient Requirement Tables

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

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 21-1

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

TABLE 21-2

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

TABLE 21-3

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

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National Academies Press (US), Washington (DC)

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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. 21, Nutrient Requirement Tables.

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 Heifers						Dry Cows^a		Lactating Cows by Parity (Body Weight) and Days in Milk^a
							Dry Cows^a		Days in Milk	First (570 kg)		Mature (700 kg)
							Days Prepartum		Days in Milk	15	150	20	100	200
Age, days	30	100	225	350	475	600	60–21d	<21d	Milk, kg	33	39	53	55	43
BW, kg	65	120	230	330	420	530	740	740	Fat %	3.9	3.6	3.7	3.5	3.8
Growth Rate, kg/d	0.7	0.7	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.9	0.1	0.1	Protein %	3.1	3.0	2.8	2.8	3.3
Dry matter intake, kg/d	1.4	3.9	6.6	8.5	9.8	11.0	13.9	12.3	—	20.8	23.9	25.8	29.4	27.4
ME, Mcal/kg	3.68	2.26	2.09	1.95	1.92	2.12	1.93	2.25	—	2.39	2.61	2.58	2.73	2.60
NE_L, Mcal/kg	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.28	1.49	—	1.58	1.72	1.70	1.80	1.73
Rumen-degradable protein, %	—	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	—	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0
Rumen-undegradable protein, %	—	6.6	4.4	2.6	1.7	2.7	1.9	4.3	—	6.2	7.0	7.5	7.4	7.5
Crude protein, %	21.0	16.6	14.4	12.6	11.7	12.7	11.9	14.3	—	16.2	16.0	17.5	17.4	17.5
Metabolizable protein, %	16.5	9.5	8.1	6.8	6.1	14.0	5.2	6.7	—	9.8	9.8	10.9	10.2	10.1
NDF, min %	—	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	—	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33
Forage NDF, min %	—	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	—	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25
Starch max, % (varies)	—	15–20	15–20	15–20	15–20	15–20	15–20	15–20	—	22–30	22–30	22–30	22–30	22–30
Macrominerals, %
Ca	0.59	0.78	0.58	0.44	0.37	0.39	0.31	0.39	—	0.57	0.57	0.64	0.60	0.58
P	0.45	0.32	0.26	0.21	0.18	0.19	0.19	0.21	—	0.35	0.35	0.39	0.37	0.35
Mg	0.15	0.14	0.12	0.12	0.12	0.10	0.13	0.14	—	0.17	0.17	0.18	0.18	0.17
K	1.00	0.51	0.52	0.54	0.56	0.60	0.62	0.69	—	1.03	0.97	1.10	1.00	0.99
Na	0.35	0.17	0.16	0.16	0.15	0.16	0.16	0.17	—	0.21	0.21	0.23	0.22	0.21
Cl	0.28	0.14	0.14	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.14	—	0.29	0.30	0.34	0.32	0.29
S	—	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	—	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20
DCAD-S mEq/kg min	—	39	42	45	50	60	66	−100	—	148	130	157	135	137
Trace minerals, mg/kg
Cu	5	16	16	15	15	17	18	19	—	9	8	10	8	10
Co	—	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	—	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20
I	0.78	0.69	0.58	0.54	0.53	0.54	0.51	0.54	—	0.46	0.42	0.47	0.42	0.41
Fe	90	61	46	32	24	28	13	15	—	16	16	21	19	16
Mn	50	49	44	40	38	43	38	43	—	28	26	31	28	27
Se	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	—	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3
Zn	70	47	41	36	34	35	30	32	—	57	58	66	62	61
Vitamins, IU/kg
Vitamin A	5,218	3,390	3,829	4,265	4,698	5,288	5,850	6,630	—	3,021	2,796	3,687	3,303	3,103
Vitamin D	1,518	924	1,044	1,163	1,281	1,442	1,595	1,810	—	1,099	954	1,085	952	1,021
Vitamin E	86	49	25	28	31	35	85	181	—	22	19	22	19	20

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 Heifers						Dry Cows^a		Lactating Cows by Parity (Body Weight) and Days in Milk^a
							Dry Cows^a		Days in Milk	First (425 kg)		Mature (520 kg)
							Days Prepartum		Days in Milk	15	150	20	100	200
Age, daysa	30	100	225	350	475	600	60–21d1	<21d	Milk, kg	22	27	35	37	31
BW, kg	45	90	175	245	310	400	555	555	Fat %	4.9	4.9	5.0	4.8	4.8
Growth Rate, kg/d	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.06	0.06	Protein %	3.9	3.7	3.5	3.5	3.7
Dry matter intake, kg/d	1.0	3.0	5.1	6.5	7.4	8.3	10.4	9.4		16.5	19.4	20.5	23.5	21.9
ME, Mcal/kg	3.69	2.41	2.16	2.02	2.13	2.25	2.04	2.19		2.41	2.72	2.67	2.80	2.68
NE_L, Mcal/kg	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.36	1.44		1.59	1.79	1.76	1.85	1.78
Rumen-degradable protein, %	—	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0		10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	10.0
Rumen-undegradable protein, %	—	7.8	4.4	3.1	3.1	2.9	1.8	3.7		6.8	7.6	8.0	8.0	7.6
Crude protein, %	22.9	17.8	14.4	13.1	13.1	12.9	11.8	13.7		16.8	17.6	18	18	17.6
Metabolizable protein, %	18.2	10.6	8.2	7.2	6.9	6.6	5.5	6.1		10.2	10.0	11.1	10.5	10.2
NDF, min %	—	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33		25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33	25–33
Forage NDF, min %	—	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25		19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25	19–25
Starch max, % (varies)	—	15–20	15–20	15–20	15–20	15–20	15–20	15–20		22–30	22–30	22–30	22–30	22–30
Macrominerals, %
Ca	0.75	0.84	0.58	0.44	0.43	0.39	0.31	0.38		0.56	0.56	0.63	0.60	0.57
P	0.55	0.34	0.26	0.21	0.20	0.19	0.21	0.23		0.33	0.34	0.37	0.35	0.34
Mg	0.15	0.14	0.12	0.12	0.12	0.10	0.13	0.14		0.16	0.16	0.17	0.17	0.16
K	1.20	0.50	0.52	0.53	0.56	0.60	0.62	0.68		0.96	0.89	1.01	0.92	0.93
Na	0.43	0.17	0.16	0.16	0.16	0.16	0.16	0.17		0.20	0.20	0.21	0.21	0.20
Cl	0.34	0.14	0.14	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.12	0.14		0.27	0.27	0.31	0.29	0.27
S	—	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20		0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20
DCAD-S, mEq/kg min	—	39	40	43	50	60	66	−100		133	114	140	119	124
Trace minerals, mg/kg
Cu	6	17	15	15	16	17	18	19		9	8	9	8	8
Co	—	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20		0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20
I	1.08	0.77	0.64	0.61	0.60	0.61	0.58	0.62		0.45	0.41	0.46	0.41	0.41
Fe	110	68	46	32	32	29	13	15		13	14	17	16	14
Mn	60	52	44	39	42	44	38	43		25	23	28	25	25
Se	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3		0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3
Zn	84	49	41	36	36	35	30	32		53	54	59	56	53
Vitamins, IU/kg
Vitamin A	6,084	3,286	3,745	4,162	4,592	5,273	5,850	6,510		2,836	2,405	2,796	2,520	2,616
Vitamin D	1,770	896	1,021	1,135	1,252	1,438	1,595	1,774		1,031	875	1,017	884	951
Vitamin E	90	48	25	28	30	35	85	177		21	17	20	18	19

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)		Holstein					Jersey
Parity (Body Weight, kg)		First (570 kg)		Mature (700 kg)			First (425 kg)		Mature (525 kg)
Days in milk		15	150	20	100	200	15	150	20	100	200
Milk, kg/d		33	39	53	55	43	22	27	35	37	31
Milk protein, %		3.06	3.02	2.76	2.83	3.26	3.90	3.70	3.49	3.46	3.69
Milk protein, g/d		1,010	1,178	1,463	1,557	1,402	858	999	1,222	1,280	1,144
Dry matter intake, kg/d		20.8	23.9	25.8	29.4	27.4	16.5	19.4	20.5	23.5	21.9
Protein intake, g/d		3,370	4,063	4,515	5,116	4,795	2,772	3,414	3,690	4,230	3,854
Rumen degradable, g/d		2,080	2,390	2,580	2,940	2,740	1,650	1,940	2,050	2,350	2,190
Rumen undegradable, g/d		1,290	1,673	1,935	2,176	2,055	1,122	1,474	1,640	1,880	1,664
Net protein, g/d		1,462	1,667	2,005	2,141	1,968	1,207	1,382	1,644	1,749	1,586
Metabolizable protein, g/d (eff. = 0.69)		2,034	2,333	2,802	2,999	2,757	1,686	1,942	2,306	2,457	2,228
Target Absorbed Essential Amino Acids	Target Efficiency	Target Absorbed Amino Acids, g/d
Histidine	0.75	53	61	73	79	72	39	54	50	67	61
Isoleucine	0.69	108	126	152	164	149	88	113	117	142	127
Leucine	0.74	182	211	254	273	249	137	183	179	229	206
Lysine	0.70	154	179	216	232	212	120	162	156	202	183
Methionine	0.70	49	57	69	74	68	39	52	52	66	59
Phenylalanine	0.60	113	131	157	169	154	87	114	115	143	129
Threonine	0.60	104	120	143	155	142	80	107	103	133	121
Tryptophan	0.63	25	29	35	38	34	19	26	25	32	29
Valine	0.85	120	139	168	181	165	96	127	127	159	143