Effect of Energy and Protein Density in the Diet and Milking Frequency on Milk Production in Early Lactation Dairy Cows

Abstract

A priority for the dairy industry is to optimize milk production while improving animal welfare, and more frequent milking is of interest for the dairy industries aiming to maximize milk production by technologies such as automatic milking systems to meet domestic demands for milk products. Cows in early lactation, especially when milked more than twice daily, will benefit from increased dietary energy density, thus reducing metabolic imbalances resulting in over-mobilized body tissues to sustain increased milk production. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of increasing dietary energy, protein density, and milking frequency (6x vs 3x) on performance of fresh lactating dairy cows.