During the trial, cows were fed a diet formulated for late gestation (14.6% CP, 42.3% NDF, 20.5% starch, 7.1% ash, and 0.97% Ca) supplemented with Animate (Prince Agri Products Inc., Quincy, IL), with a resulting DCAD (Na + K − Cl − S) of −21.02 mEq/100 g of DM.
Considering that in our trial cows are milked about every 12 h, cortisol concentration in milk is likely to represent a picture of the average blood cortisol variations in the previous 10 to 14 h window.
Nevertheless, when we repeated the test for the dilution trials, these cows were negative in the undiluted milk sample with the blocking ELISA (Fig. 2).
Before the trial, all cows were fed a high-forage, low-energy diet.
In the production trial, 54 cows were fed the experimental diets for 12 wk beginning at d 60 in milk.
During the first 2 wk of the trial, all cows were fed the control diet, and data collected were used as a covariate in the statistical analysis.
The results of this trial with cows after peak lactation suggest feeding supplemental rumen-protected Lys to cows producing more than 36 kg/d can result in improved concentrations of fat and protein and yield of ECM, but cows producing less than 36 kg/d do not respond positively.
In the first trial, ovariectomized cows were randomly allocated into one of three groups: using new P4 devices (G-New; n = 8), using devices previously used for 9 days (G-Used1x; n = 8), and using devices previously used for 18 days (G-Used2x; n = 8).
During the trial, two cows had to be treated for mastitis, 3 cows were dried off and one gave birth.
In the second trial, 50 multiparous cows (57 ± 28 DIM) were fed early- or late-cut orchardgrass-based TMR for 50 d.
