Effect of replacing ground corn with cactus pear Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) on feed intake and digestibility, water intake, milk production and composition in Holstein × Gyr cows

• Published in: Tropical animal health and production 2024-11, Vol.56 (8), p.341, Article 341
• Main Authors: da Silva, Reginaldo Muniz, Pires, Aureliano José Vieira, da Silva, Fabiano Ferreira, de Sousa Nogueira, Messias, de Santana, Hermógenes Almeida, dos Santos Alves, Gabriela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed - analysis; Animal lactation; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cactaceae - chemistry; Cattle; Cattle - physiology; Composition; Corn; Cow's milk; Dairy cattle; Diet; Diet - veterinary; Digestibility; Digestion; Drinking; Eating; Female; Fruits; Lactation; Lactation - physiology; Life Sciences; Milk; Milk - chemistry; Milk production; Nutrients; Opuntia - chemistry; Random Allocation; Regular Articles; Substitutes; Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science; Water intake; Water intakes; Zea mays - chemistry; Zoology
• ISSN: 0049-4747; 1573-7438; 1573-7438
• DOI: 10.1007/s11250-024-04155-z

The objective of this study was to evaluate the intake and digestibility of nutrients, production and composition of milk, and water intake of lactating dairy cows fed standard diets in which ground corn (C) was replaced by up to 100% in the diet by cactus pear (CP). Eight Girolando cows (½ Gyr x ½ Holstein), 3rd calf multiparous, with 60 to 80 days of lactation and an average weight of 450.0 ± 30.0 kg, were randomly distributed in a double Latin square (4 × 4). Four experimental diets were evaluated: (100% C + 0% CP), (66.6% C + 33.3% CP), (33.3% C + 66.6% CP), and (0% C + 100% CP). There was a difference ( P