Effects of total mixed rations supplemented with wheat seedlings on dairy cows

This study aimed to investigate the effect of incorporating hydroponically grown wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings into the diet of dairy cows in terms of milk yield, dry matter intake, and dairy herd improvement (DHI) index. A total of 180 lactating cows were divided into two groups, namely the control and treatment groups, according to their weight, milk yield, and lactation days in a random block design. The control group was fed a basic diet, whereas the treatment group was fed the basic diet supplemented with 1 kg of fresh hydroponic wheat seedlings per head per day. The basal diet conformed to the recommendations for all nutrients specified by the National Research Council (NRC, 2001) for dairy cattle. The dietary concentrate-to-forage ratio was 50 ꞉ 50. Compared with those in the control group, in the treatment group, the milk yield increased to 0.74 kg·d⁻¹ (P = 0.17), dry matter intake decreased to 0.56 kg·d⁻¹ (P < 0.05), milk fat reduced by 8.15% (P = 0.06), and milk-fat-to-protein ratio decreased (P < 0.05). The milk yield of primiparous dairy cows in the treatment group was higher by 1.67 kg·d⁻¹ (P < 0.05) than that of the control group. The milk yield of late-lactation in the treatment group was 1.45 kg·d⁻¹ higher than that of the control group (P = 0.07), and the treatment group tended to be higher than that of control group. The results suggested that adding wheat seedlings to the total mixed diet (TMR) of dairy cows could increase the dry matter intake, reduce the ratio of milk fat rate, and increase the milk yield of primiparous cows.