Stabilizing Total Mixed Ration Dry Matter to Mitigate Environmental-Relative-Humidity Effects on Lactating Cow Performance
This study evaluated environmental relative humidity’s (ERH) impact on dry matter (DM) in hay and total mixed ration (TMR), exploring strategies to stabilize milk production in lactating cows by maintaining a consistent TMR DM content. We hypothesized that precise TMR DM adjustments mitigate ERH eff...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| author | Yi-Hsuan Chen Yi-Ming Chen Po-An Tu Ching-Yi Chen Han-Tsung Wang |
| author_facet | Yi-Hsuan Chen Yi-Ming Chen Po-An Tu Ching-Yi Chen Han-Tsung Wang |
| author_sort | Yi-Hsuan Chen |
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| description | This study evaluated environmental relative humidity’s (ERH) impact on dry matter (DM) in hay and total mixed ration (TMR), exploring strategies to stabilize milk production in lactating cows by maintaining a consistent TMR DM content. We hypothesized that precise TMR DM adjustments mitigate ERH effects on milk production stability. Experiment 1 showed that grass hay exhibited greater DM variability than alfalfa hay under high ERH. Experiment 2 revealed that high daily ERH variability (>25%) caused fluctuations in hay moisture, affecting TMR DM stability. Increasing TMR DM reduced milk composition variation. In Experiment 3, precise TMR DM adjustments and heat stress levels were evaluated under different temperature–humidity indexes (THIs) in 46 cows over three 28-day periods. The results showed a significant improvement in milk yield (non-adjustment: 26.99 vs. adjustment: 27.29; SEM: 0.32; THIs: 65 to 82; <i>p</i> < 0.05) and a reduction in the variation in milk composition under heat stress. The differences in energy-corrected milk were lower (non-adjustment: 0.47 ± 0.06 vs. adjustment: 0.20 ± 0.09; <i>p</i> < 0.05). This study confirmed that monitoring hay DM and adjusting TMR DM stabilize milk production under variable ERH. Dairy producers can implement routine hay DM monitoring and TMR adjustments to enhance lactating cows’ performance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8366b4dbe18b41cbb3a261800fb03280 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-8366b4dbe18b41cbb3a261800fb032802025-08-20T03:14:14ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-04-01158113710.3390/ani15081137Stabilizing Total Mixed Ration Dry Matter to Mitigate Environmental-Relative-Humidity Effects on Lactating Cow PerformanceYi-Hsuan Chen0Yi-Ming Chen1Po-An Tu2Ching-Yi Chen3Han-Tsung Wang4Northern Region Branch, Taiwan Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Sihoo Township, Miaoli 368003, TaiwanCivil Affairs Office of Xinwu District, Xinwu District, Taoyuan 327008, TaiwanNorthern Region Branch, Taiwan Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Sihoo Township, Miaoli 368003, TaiwanDepartment of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Da’an District, Taipei 106032, TaiwanDepartment of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Da’an District, Taipei 106032, TaiwanThis study evaluated environmental relative humidity’s (ERH) impact on dry matter (DM) in hay and total mixed ration (TMR), exploring strategies to stabilize milk production in lactating cows by maintaining a consistent TMR DM content. We hypothesized that precise TMR DM adjustments mitigate ERH effects on milk production stability. Experiment 1 showed that grass hay exhibited greater DM variability than alfalfa hay under high ERH. Experiment 2 revealed that high daily ERH variability (>25%) caused fluctuations in hay moisture, affecting TMR DM stability. Increasing TMR DM reduced milk composition variation. In Experiment 3, precise TMR DM adjustments and heat stress levels were evaluated under different temperature–humidity indexes (THIs) in 46 cows over three 28-day periods. The results showed a significant improvement in milk yield (non-adjustment: 26.99 vs. adjustment: 27.29; SEM: 0.32; THIs: 65 to 82; <i>p</i> < 0.05) and a reduction in the variation in milk composition under heat stress. The differences in energy-corrected milk were lower (non-adjustment: 0.47 ± 0.06 vs. adjustment: 0.20 ± 0.09; <i>p</i> < 0.05). This study confirmed that monitoring hay DM and adjusting TMR DM stabilize milk production under variable ERH. Dairy producers can implement routine hay DM monitoring and TMR adjustments to enhance lactating cows’ performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1137dry matterenergy-corrected milkhaymoisture stabilizationprecision feedingtemperature–humidity indexes |
| spellingShingle | Yi-Hsuan Chen Yi-Ming Chen Po-An Tu Ching-Yi Chen Han-Tsung Wang Stabilizing Total Mixed Ration Dry Matter to Mitigate Environmental-Relative-Humidity Effects on Lactating Cow Performance Animals dry matter energy-corrected milk hay moisture stabilization precision feeding temperature–humidity indexes |
| title | Stabilizing Total Mixed Ration Dry Matter to Mitigate Environmental-Relative-Humidity Effects on Lactating Cow Performance |
| title_full | Stabilizing Total Mixed Ration Dry Matter to Mitigate Environmental-Relative-Humidity Effects on Lactating Cow Performance |
| title_fullStr | Stabilizing Total Mixed Ration Dry Matter to Mitigate Environmental-Relative-Humidity Effects on Lactating Cow Performance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stabilizing Total Mixed Ration Dry Matter to Mitigate Environmental-Relative-Humidity Effects on Lactating Cow Performance |
| title_short | Stabilizing Total Mixed Ration Dry Matter to Mitigate Environmental-Relative-Humidity Effects on Lactating Cow Performance |
| title_sort | stabilizing total mixed ration dry matter to mitigate environmental relative humidity effects on lactating cow performance |
| topic | dry matter energy-corrected milk hay moisture stabilization precision feeding temperature–humidity indexes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1137 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yihsuanchen stabilizingtotalmixedrationdrymattertomitigateenvironmentalrelativehumidityeffectsonlactatingcowperformance AT yimingchen stabilizingtotalmixedrationdrymattertomitigateenvironmentalrelativehumidityeffectsonlactatingcowperformance AT poantu stabilizingtotalmixedrationdrymattertomitigateenvironmentalrelativehumidityeffectsonlactatingcowperformance AT chingyichen stabilizingtotalmixedrationdrymattertomitigateenvironmentalrelativehumidityeffectsonlactatingcowperformance AT hantsungwang stabilizingtotalmixedrationdrymattertomitigateenvironmentalrelativehumidityeffectsonlactatingcowperformance |