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Fresh grass diets supplemented with essential oils for dairy cows: effects on milk and urea

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference paperAcademic

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of essential oils (EO) on fat-and-protein corrected milk (FPCM) andmilk urea of 42 cows in 3 systems: (1) fresh grass outdoors (day and night grazing, n=14); (2) fresh grass outdoors during the day, grass silage indoors at night (daytime grazing, n=14); and (3) fresh grass indoors during the day, grass silage indoors at night (daytime zero grazing, n=14). In every system, half of the number of cows were fed a concentrate with EO, the other half was fed a concentrate without EO. The study consisted of 2 periods in the growing season, both with 2 weeks acclimatisation and 2 weeks measurements. The concentrate with or without EO was fed during both complete periods and the 2 weeks measurements were analysed. For cows receiving EO, the FPCM was 30.9 kg day –1 and milk urea was 19.5 mg dL, compared with 30.4 kg day–1 (P=0.42) and 19.7 mg dl–1 (P=0.75) for cows not receiving EO. Feeding EO did not affect FPCM and milk urea in different grazing systems between April and July, although numerically FPCM was a bit higher and milk urea was a bit lower.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationWhy grasslands?
Subtitle of host publicationProceedings of the 30th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation Leeuwarden, the Netherlands 9-13 June 2024
EditorsC.W. Klootwijk, M. Bruinenberg, M. Cougnon, N.J. Hoekstra, R. Ripoll-Bosch, S. Schelfhout, R.L.M. Schils, T. Vanden Nest, N. van Eekeren, W. Voskamp-Harkema, A. van den Pol-van Dasselaar
Place of PublicationLeiden
PublisherBrill
Pages728-730
ISBN (Electronic)9789090384948
Publication statusPublished - 2024
Event30th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation (EGF2024): Why grasslands? - Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Duration: 9 Jun 202413 Jun 2024

Publication series

NameGrassland Science in Europe
Volume29

Conference/symposium

Conference/symposium30th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation (EGF2024)
Country/TerritoryNetherlands
CityLeeuwarden
Period9/06/2413/06/24

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