Acceptability of high fat grain mixtures offered to grazing dairy cows

Abstract

Levels of acceptance of mixtures of rolled oats and predominantly saturated, molten or free-flowing fatty acids were assessed with lactating dairy cows. Twenty cows grazed pasture and were offered rolled oats comprising 0, 2, 4, 8, 15, 25 or 40% (w/w) fatty acids. One kg/cow was offered twice daily to cows following milking. The acceptability of grain-fat mixtures was influenced by level of fatty acids. The fatty acid concentrations above which less than 95% of the supplement was consumed by animals ranged from 22 to 31%. Time spent eating the supplement was reduced by 2.4 s for every percentage unit increase in fatty acid concentration, while high air temperature increased (P<0.05) eating time.