Table 2.
Baseline data and the effect of microbial feed supplement on performance variables during experiment
| Variable | Treatment1 |
Contrast P-value |
Model P-value |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | MFS1 | MFS2 | Control vs. MFS | MFS1 vs. MFS2 | Treatment × time2 | |
| Covariate period (baseline) | ||||||
| Number of cows | ||||||
| Primiparous | 5 | 5 | 5 | — | — | — |
| Multiparous | 18 | 19 | 18 | — | — | — |
| DIM | 81 ± 26.3 | 85 ± 28.6 | 80 ± 24.8 | 0.94 | 0.32 | — |
| Lactation no. | 2.3 ± 1.1 | 2.4 ± 1.0 | 2.6 ± 1.3 | 0.30 | 0.42 | — |
| Milk yield (kg/d) | 39.2 ± 9.4 | 39.5 ± 7.5 | 38.2 ± 6.8 | 0.76 | 0.56 | — |
| Milk composition | ||||||
| ECM (kg/d) | 41.7 ± 10.7 | 41.0 ± 7.1 | 39.4 ± 6.73 | 0.48 | 0.42 | — |
| Fat (kg/d) | 1.58 ± 0.58 | 1.5 ± 0.28 | 1.44 ± 0.32 | 0.24 | 0.49 | — |
| Protein (kg/d) | 1.22 ± 0.26 | 1.23 ± 0.21 | 1.2 ± 0.19 | 0.82 | 0.49 | — |
| DMI (kg/d) | 23.7 ± 3.4 | 23.4 ± 3.3 | 23.5 ± 3.3 | 0.70 | 0.99 | — |
| Feed efficiency (ECM/DMI) | 1.78 ± 0.50 | 1.76 ± 0.33 | 1.71 ± 0.31 | 0.58 | 0.54 | — |
| Log10 (SCC) | 4.76 ± 0.55 | 4.54 ± 0.52 | 4.94 ± 0.62 | 1.00 | 0.01 | — |
| BW (kg) | 670 ± 62.8 | 700 ± 79.9 | 674 ± 76.4 | 0.47 | 0.33 | — |
| BCS | 2.4 ± 0.39 | 2.4 ± 0.33 | 2.5 ± 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.59 | — |
| Treatment period (LSM) | ||||||
| Milk yield (kg/d) | 34.7 ± 1.27 | 34.8 ± 1.22 | 36.7 ± 1.31 | 0.31 | 0.13 | 0.52 |
| DMI (kg/d) | 24.0 ± 1.0 | 23.8 ± 0.96 | 21.7 ± 1.04 | 0.14 | 0.04 | 0.69 |
| Milk composition | ||||||
| ECM (kg/d) | 35.8 ± 1.32 | 37.2 ± 1.3 | 37.5 ± 1.34 | 0.16 | 0.86 | 0.007 |
| Fat (%) | 3.67 ± 0.18 | 3.79 ± 0.17 | 3.77 ± 0.18 | 0.48 | 0.90 | 0.79 |
| Fat (kg/d) | 1.27 ± 0.06 | 1.35 ± 0.06 | 1.31 ± 0.06 | 0.21 | 0.49 | 0.47 |
| Protein (%) | 3.30 ± 0.04 | 3.35 ± 0.04 | 3.32 ± 0.04 | 0.29 | 0.36 | 0.33 |
| Protein (kg/d) | 1.16 ± 0.04 | 1.17 ± 0.04 | 1.21 ± 0.04 | 0.31 | 0.30 | 0.71 |
| Lactose (%) | 4.69 ± 0.03 | 4.69 ± 0.03 | 4.69 ± 0.03 | 0.98 | 0.92 | 0.39 |
| Lactose (kg/d) | 1.66 ± 0.07 | 1.66 ± 0.07 | 1.74 ± 0.07 | 0.49 | 0.24 | 0.59 |
| Other solids (%) | 5.76 ± 0.03 | 5.79 ± 0.03 | 5.81 ± 0.03 | 0.10 | 0.68 | 0.046 |
| TS (%) | 12.79 ± 0.16 | 12.92 ± 0.15 | 12.87 ± 0.16 | 0.42 | 0.72 | 0.96 |
| Log10 (SCC) | 4.71 ± 0.10 | 4.80 ± 0.11 | 4.72 ± 0.11 | 0.59 | 0.55 | 0.15 |
| MUN (mg/dL) | 11.21 ± 0.40 | 11.48 ± 0.39 | 11.38 ± 0.4 | 0.42 | 0.77 | 0.46 |
| Feed efficiency (ECM/DMI) | 1.49 ± 0.08 | 1.53 ± 0.08 | 1.70 ± 0.1 | 0.08 | 0.06 | 0.41 |
| BW (kg) | 685 ± 9.7 | 682 ± 8.7 | 677 ± 9.9 | 0.48 | 0.64 | 0.049 |
| BCS | 2.8 ± 0.08 | 2.9 ± 0.08 | 2.7 ± 0.08 | 0.92 | 0.05 | 0.48 |
1
Control = no MFS supplement; MFS1 = 5 g/d Galaxis (Native Microbials Inc.); MFS2 = 5 g/d Galaxis Frontier (Native Microbials Inc.). Data ± SE.
2
Weeks in study.