Boosting Dairy Nutrition: FTMR’s Impact on Holstein Cow

A recent study has revealed that Fermented Total Mixed Ration (FTMR) can significantly improve nutrient digestibility and milk quality in Holstein dairy cows.

The research, conducted by a team of scientists from Henan Agricultural University and Northeast Agricultural University in China, demonstrates that this feeding technique could revolutionize the dairy industry.

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of FTMR on:

Milk yield
Total apparent nutrient digestibility
Fecal microbial communities
Fermentation profiles in dairy cows

To achieve this, 12 cows were selected and divided into two groups:

TMR group: cows fed with total mixed ration (TMR)
FTMR group: cows fed with fermented total mixed ration (FTMR)

Throughout the study, it was observed that although FTMR did not significantly affect milk production, it did notably improve feed efficiency despite a decrease in dry matter intake.

One of the most notable findings was the increase in fat content in the milk of cows fed with FTMR compared to the group fed with TMR.

Additionally, the group fed with FTMR showed greater digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), organic matter (OM), dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and acid detergent fiber (ADF). There was also an increase in butyrate concentration in the feces and a reduction in fecal pH.

On the other hand, the abundance of Halobacteria, Halobacteriales, and Halobacteriaceae was significantly higher in the feces of cows fed with TMR.

These results suggest that FTMR not only improves milk quality and nutrient digestibility but also promotes greater microbial diversity in the digestive tract of the cows.

This study provides a solid theoretical basis for the feasibility of feeding dairy cows with FTMR, indicating that this practice could be an effective strategy to improve dairy production efficiency and the digestive health of the cattle.

Read the full study: Wang, L., Jin, J. S., Wang, P., Li, X., Liu, C., Sun, S., Zhao, W., Zhang, G., Chang, J., Yin, Q., Zhang, H., & Zhu, Q. (2024). Fermented total mixed ration enhances nutrient digestibility and modulates the milk components and fecal microbial community in lactating Holstein dairy cows. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1408348/abstract