Effect of organic sources of minerals on fat-corrected milk yield of dairy cows in confinement

• Main Authors: Tiago Antonio Del Valle, Elmeson Ferreira de Jesus, Pablo Gomes de Paiva, Vitor Pereira Bettero, Filipe Zanferari, Tiago Sabella Acedo, Luis Fernando Monteiro Tamassia, Francisco Palma Rennó
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia 2015-03-01
• Series: Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia
• Subjects: Holstein; milk fat; mineral nutrition; organic mineral
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-35982015000300103&lng=en&tlng=en

This study evaluated the effects of organic and inorganic sources of minerals in diets for mid-lactation dairy cows on milk yield and composition, intake and total apparent digestibility of dry matter and nutrients, blood parameters, microbial protein synthesis, and energy and protein balances. Twenty Holstein cows averaging 146.83±67.34 days in milk and weighing 625.30±80.37 kg were used. The experimental design was a crossover. Diets were composed of corn silage (50%), ground grain corn, and soybean meal, differing with regard to the sources of trace minerals, plus an organic and inorganic mix. The organic mineral source increased milk fat and fat-corrected milk yield without changing milk yield, intake, or total apparent digestibility. Blood parameters, microbial protein synthesis, and energy and protein balances were not affected by the sources of minerals. Organic sources of minerals improve milk fat yield without affecting other parameters.