Table 1.

Ingredients and nutrient composition, and particle size distribution of partial mixed rations (PMR) and the supplemented concentrates fed to cows during transition period, around parturition, and during lactation.

	Dry Period	Parturition	Early-Lactation	Mid-Lactation
Ingredients of PMR (% of DM, unless otherwise stated)
Grass-legume silage	90.4	90.4	84.6	84.6
Hay	9.6	9.6	5.7	5.7
Protein supplement 1	0	0	7.2	7.2
Grain mix 2	0	0	1.7	1.7
Mineral-vitamin premix 3	0	0	0.8	0.8
Nutrient composition of the PMR (% of DM, unless otherwise stated)
DM (% of fresh feed)	43.5	43.5	40.7	40.7
Ash	10.5	10.5	10.4	10.4
Crude protein	16.7	16.7	17.7	17.7
Ether extracts	2.9	2.9	3.1	3.1
Neutral detergent fibre	40.4	40.4	33.2	33.2
Acid detergent fibre	22.9	22.9	19.2	19.2
Particle size distribution (% of DM)
>19.0 mm	87.3	87.3	72.2	72.2
8.0–19.0 mm	6.0	6.0	10.7	10.7
1.18–8.0 mm	5.9	5.9	13.2	13.2
<1.18 mm	0.8	0.8	4.0	4.0
pef8.0 4	93.3	93.3	82.9	82.9
peNDF8.0 5	37.7	37.7	27.5	27.5
Supplemented concentrate (g/cow/d)
Concentrate for dry cows 6	1000	1000	0	0
Concentrate for lactating cows 7	0	1000	2703	2603
Grain mix	0	1000	2530	2464
Total supplemented concentrate	1000	3000	5233	5067

¹ RinderKombi 40 H (Garant Tiernahrung); contained: rapeseed meal, dried distillers grains and solubles (DDGS), sunflower meal, molasses, Ca-carbonate, Na-chloride, Mg-oxide; Composition: 7.5% ash, 40% crude protein, 4.5% ether extracts, 10% crude fibre, 7.05 MJ/kg NEL, 0.8% Ca, 0.95% P, 0.25% Na, 0.5% Mg; mineral-vitamin content (per kg): 10,000 IU of vitamin A, 2000 IU of vitamin D3, 20 mg of vitamin E, 70 mg of zinc, 40 mg of manganese, 15 mg of copper, 1.6 mg of iodine, 0.6 mg of cobalt, 0.4 mg of selenium. ² Contained: wheat, barley, triticale, corn and consisted of (DM-basis): 88.0% dry matter, 2.4% ash, 11.3% crude protein, 2.4% ether extracts, 16.2% aNDF and 5.6% ADF. ³ Rinder Genuss plus (Ramikal); composition: 15% Ca, 4.5% P, 11.5% Na, 3.0% Mg, 1,000,000 IU of vitamin A/kg, 100,000 IU of vitamin D3/kg, 4000 mg of vitamin E/kg, 10,000 mg of zinc/kg, 6000 mg manganese/kg, 1000 mg copper/kg, 104 mg iodine/kg, 46 mg cobalt/kg, 50 mg selenium/kg, 2500 mg biotin/kg. ⁴ Physical effectiveness factor, determined as the proportion of particles retained on 19.0- and 8.0-mm sieves [10]. ⁵ The amount of particles retained on 19.0- and 8.0-mm sieves multiplied with the NDF of the feedstuff (in % of DM). ⁶ Vital-Kilo concentrate for dry cows (fixkraft); contained: wheat, wheat bran, linseed, barley, corn, Ca-carbonate, rapeseed meal, Mg-sulphate, molasses, Na-chloride; composition (estimated): 14.7% ash, 11% crude protein, 5.6% ether extracts, 4.5% crude fibre, 4.5% Ca, 4.5% P, 1.4% Na, 6000 IU of vitamin A/kg, 600 IU of vitamin D3/kg, 75 mg of vitamin E/kg, 94 mg copper E4/kg, 290 mg zinc E6/kg, 190 mg manganese/kg, 1.9 mg selenium/kg, 3.5 mg iodine/kg. ⁷ RinderKombi 25 (Garant Tiernahrung) contained: rapeseed meal, wheat bran, dried distillers grains and solubles (DDGS), corn gluten meal, molasses, wheat, Ca-carbonate, sunflower meal, Na-chloride, Mg-chloride; composition (estimated): 8.5% crude fibre, 6.7 MJ/kg NEL, 0.8% Ca, 0.95% P, 0.25% Na, 0.4% Mg; mineral-vitamin content (per kg): 10,000 IU of vitamin A, 2000 IU of vitamin D3, 20 mg of vitamin E, 70 mg of zinc, 40 mg of manganese, 15 mg of copper, 1.6 mg of iodine, 0.6 mg of cobalt, 0.4 mg of selenium.