Energy requirements for pregnant dairy cows

PLoS One. 2020 Jul 7;15(7):e0235619. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235619. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate energy requirements of pregnant Holstein × Gyr cows. Different planes of nutrition were established by two feeding regimens: ad libitum or maintenance. Sixty-two nonlactating cows with average body weight of 480 ± 10.1 kg and an age of 5 ± 0.5 years were used. Cows were divided into three groups: pregnant (n = 44), non-pregnant (n = 12), and baseline reference (n = 6). The 56 pregnant and non-pregnant cows were randomly allocated into a feeding regimen: ad libitum or maintenance. To evaluate the effects of days of pregnancy, pregnant and non-pregnant animals were slaughtered at 140, 200, 240, and 270 days of pregnancy. Energy requirements for maintenance differed between pregnant and non-pregnant cows, thus two equations were developed. Net energy and metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance of non-pregnant cows were 82 kcal/kg empty body weight0.75/day and 132 kcal/kg empty body weight0.75/day, respectively. The efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for maintenance of non-pregnant cows was 62.4%. Net energy and metabolizable energy for maintenance of pregnant cows were 86 kcal/kg empty body weight0.75/day and 137 kcal/kg empty body weight0.75/day, respectively. Efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for maintenance of pregnant cows was 62.5%. The efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for gain was 41.9%. The efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for pregnancy was 14.1%. Furthermore, net energy requirement for pregnancy was different from zero from day 70 of pregnancy onwards. In conclusion, net energy and metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance of non-pregnant cows are different from pregnant cows. Furthermore, we believe that the proposed non-linear equations to estimate net energy requirements for pregnancy are more adequate than current NRC equation, and should be recommended for Holstein × Gyr cows.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight
  • Cattle
  • Energy Intake*
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Female
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / metabolism
  • Nutritional Requirements*
  • Pregnancy
  • Uterus / metabolism

Grants and funding

- SCVF; PPR - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - http://cnpq.br/ - The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.