Effects on Nutrient Digestion of Wheat Processing and Method of Tallow Addition to the Diets of Lactating Dairy Cows

Five multiparous Holstein cows in midlactation that were fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in a 3 × 5 incomplete Latin square. The objective of this study was to examine the effects on nutrient digestion of wheat processing and method of tallow addition to the diets of lactating dairy cows. Diets consisted of 45% forage and 55% concentrate, and each diet contained 20% wheat and 2% tallow (as-fed basis). Treatments were dry-rolled wheat with tallow added to the concentrate, steam-rolled wheat with tallow added to the concentrate, and steam-rolled wheat with tallow added first to the wheat. The dry matter intake; digestion of starch, fiber, and fatty acids; ammonia N concentration; and molar proportions of volatile fatty acids in ruminal fluid were not affected by treatments. The apparent digestibility in the total tract of organic matter and nitrogenous compounds was significantly higher for the steam-rolled treatment with tallow added first to the wheat. Mean ruminal fluid pH was similar across treatments; however, cows fed the diet containing steam-rolled wheat with tallow added first to the wheat had the smallest pH change from 0 to 2 h postfeeding. Milk yield did not differ, regardless of cow diet. Method of tallow addition had marked effects on the apparent digestibility of organic matter and N in the total tract of lactating dairy cows.