Effects of Dietary Starch Concentration on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility, and Methane Emissions in Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows
Our objective was to evaluate the effects of dietary starch concentration on milk production, nutrient digestibility, and methane emissions in lactating dairy cows. Thirty mid-lactation cows were randomly assigned to either a high-neutral-detergent-fiber, low-starch diet (LS; 20.2% starch) or a low-...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Rebecca L. Culbertson Fabian A. Gutiérrez-Oviedo Pinar Uzun Nirosh Seneviratne Ananda B. P. Fontoura Brianna K. Yau Josie L. Judge Amanda N. Davis Diana C. Reyes Joseph W. McFadden |
| author_facet | Rebecca L. Culbertson Fabian A. Gutiérrez-Oviedo Pinar Uzun Nirosh Seneviratne Ananda B. P. Fontoura Brianna K. Yau Josie L. Judge Amanda N. Davis Diana C. Reyes Joseph W. McFadden |
| author_sort | Rebecca L. Culbertson |
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| description | Our objective was to evaluate the effects of dietary starch concentration on milk production, nutrient digestibility, and methane emissions in lactating dairy cows. Thirty mid-lactation cows were randomly assigned to either a high-neutral-detergent-fiber, low-starch diet (LS; 20.2% starch) or a low-neutral-detergent-fiber, high-starch diet (HS; 25.2% starch) following a 3-week acclimation. The study lasted 8 weeks, with milk sampling and gas measurements conducted weekly during acclimation and at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8. Blood and fecal samples were collected during acclimation and week 8. Compared with LS cows, HS cows produced 1.9 kg/d more energy-corrected milk (4.45% increase), with higher yields of true protein (+0.13 kg/day), lactose (+0.10 kg/day), and total solids (+0.24 kg/day). Dry matter and organic matter digestibility was 4.2 and 4.3% higher, respectively, in the HS group. The milk fatty acid (FA) profile differed, with LS cows having greater mixed FA content and HS cows showing higher de novo FA content and yield. Although methane production tended to be higher in HS cows (+25 g/day), methane yield decreased by 8.8%. Overall, the HS diet improved milk production, nutrient digestibility, and environmental efficiency by reducing methane yield in dairy cows. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fb289f467c9343e98f1f5e9267865e97 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj-art-fb289f467c9343e98f1f5e9267865e972025-01-24T13:16:09ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722025-01-0115221110.3390/agriculture15020211Effects of Dietary Starch Concentration on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility, and Methane Emissions in Mid-Lactation Dairy CowsRebecca L. Culbertson0Fabian A. Gutiérrez-Oviedo1Pinar Uzun2Nirosh Seneviratne3Ananda B. P. Fontoura4Brianna K. Yau5Josie L. Judge6Amanda N. Davis7Diana C. Reyes8Joseph W. McFadden9Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USADepartment of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAFood Processing Department, Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Isparta 32200, TürkiyeDepartment of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USADepartment of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USADepartment of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USADepartment of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USABiological Sciences Department, State University of New York at Cortland, Cortland, NY 13045, USADepartment of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USADepartment of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAOur objective was to evaluate the effects of dietary starch concentration on milk production, nutrient digestibility, and methane emissions in lactating dairy cows. Thirty mid-lactation cows were randomly assigned to either a high-neutral-detergent-fiber, low-starch diet (LS; 20.2% starch) or a low-neutral-detergent-fiber, high-starch diet (HS; 25.2% starch) following a 3-week acclimation. The study lasted 8 weeks, with milk sampling and gas measurements conducted weekly during acclimation and at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8. Blood and fecal samples were collected during acclimation and week 8. Compared with LS cows, HS cows produced 1.9 kg/d more energy-corrected milk (4.45% increase), with higher yields of true protein (+0.13 kg/day), lactose (+0.10 kg/day), and total solids (+0.24 kg/day). Dry matter and organic matter digestibility was 4.2 and 4.3% higher, respectively, in the HS group. The milk fatty acid (FA) profile differed, with LS cows having greater mixed FA content and HS cows showing higher de novo FA content and yield. Although methane production tended to be higher in HS cows (+25 g/day), methane yield decreased by 8.8%. Overall, the HS diet improved milk production, nutrient digestibility, and environmental efficiency by reducing methane yield in dairy cows.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/2/211greenhouse gasenteric methanedietary starchmilk composition |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca L. Culbertson Fabian A. Gutiérrez-Oviedo Pinar Uzun Nirosh Seneviratne Ananda B. P. Fontoura Brianna K. Yau Josie L. Judge Amanda N. Davis Diana C. Reyes Joseph W. McFadden Effects of Dietary Starch Concentration on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility, and Methane Emissions in Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows Agriculture greenhouse gas enteric methane dietary starch milk composition |
| title | Effects of Dietary Starch Concentration on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility, and Methane Emissions in Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows |
| title_full | Effects of Dietary Starch Concentration on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility, and Methane Emissions in Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Dietary Starch Concentration on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility, and Methane Emissions in Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Dietary Starch Concentration on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility, and Methane Emissions in Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows |
| title_short | Effects of Dietary Starch Concentration on Milk Production, Nutrient Digestibility, and Methane Emissions in Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows |
| title_sort | effects of dietary starch concentration on milk production nutrient digestibility and methane emissions in mid lactation dairy cows |
| topic | greenhouse gas enteric methane dietary starch milk composition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/2/211 |
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