EFFECT OF SULFUR SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF LACTATING DAIRY COWS FED UREA-CONTAINING DIETS

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Abstract
Average quality grass hay containing 1.27 mg S/g and three grain mixtures (2.82, 4.08 and 5.48 mg S/g) containing 2% urea were fed to 24 lactating Holstein and Ayrshire cows for 120 days. Mean input-output data for the treatment groups were hay dry matter intake 1.98, 1.72, 1.68 kg/day per 100 kg body weight; total dry matter intake 2.73, 2.51, 2.44 kg/day per 100 kg body weight and 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM) production 14.6, 14.9 and 14.8 kg/day, respectively. No significant differences were detected between dietary S levels for feed intake or FCM yield. Body weight gains averaged 0.28, 0.20 and 0.22 kg/cow per day for the three groups. Seven-day nutrient balance trials with four cows per treatment after 90 days indicated no consistent relationship between the level of dietary S and the N or S balances. It was concluded that S supplementation was not required for dairy cattle fed locally grown hay and grain mixtures containing 2% urea.

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