Feeding Value of Wet Corn Gluten Feed for Lactating Dairy Cows

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Abstract
Holstein cows (20) just past peak of lactation were arranged in 4 .times. 4 Latin squares to evaluate wet corn gluten feed. Each period was 4 wk during which animals were fed for ad lib consumption of 4 experimental diets of corn silage, concentrate, and wet corn gluten feed in the following ratios of dry matter: 1) 50:50:0; 2) 50:30:20; 3) 50:20:30 and 4) 50:10:40. Linear decreases of dry matter intake (kg/day) and digestibility (%) were observed when wet corn gluten feed was increased in the diet: 1) 24.0, 74.1; 2) 23.3, 71.5; 3) 22.2, 68.9; and 4) 21.5, 69.3. Hemicellulose and ether extract fractions of wet corn gluten feed underwent extensive digestion. Although milk yield (kg/day) was depressed linearly by additions of wet corn gluten feed to the diet: 1) 30.5; 2) 29.9; 3) 28.1; and 4) 28.1, yield of 4% fat-corrected milk remained unchanged: 1) 25.4; 2) 25.2; 3) 24.5; and 4) 24.8 due to increasing milk fat percentage: 1) 2.86; 2) 2.97; 3) 3.15 and 4) 3.21. Milk solids-not-fat percentage and yield and milk protein percentage and yield were depressed linearly by addition of wet corn gluten feed to the diet. Molar percentage of ruminal acetate was increased; propionate decreased when increasing amounts of wet corn gluten feed were fed to the cows. Up to 50-60% of the concentrate mixture in corn silage-based rations of lactating dairy cows can be replaced with wet corn gluten feed with little detrimental risk to animal production and health.
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