Effects of corn feeding reduced-fat distillers grains with or without monensin on nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur utilization and excretion in dairy cows

Abstract

This study investigated effects of high inclusion of reduced-fat corn distillers grains with solubles (RFDG) with or without monensin on utilization and excretion of dietary N, P, and S. The experiment was conducted for 11 wk (2-wk diet adaptation, 9-wk experimental period of data collection) with 36 Holstein cows in a randomized complete block design. Cows were blocked by parity, days in milk, and milk yield and assigned to the following diets: (1) a control diet (CON); (2) CON with RFDG included at 28.8% (dry matter basis) by replacing soybean meal, soyhulls, and supplemental fat and phosphorus (DG); and (3) DG with monensin (Rumensin; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) supplemented at a rate of 20 mg/kg of DM offered (DGMon). Contrasts were used to compare CON versus DG and DG versus DGMon. Inclusion of RFDG at 28.8% of dietary DM replacing mainly soybean meal did not change crude protein content (17.6% on a DM basis) but decreased rumen-degradable protein and increased rumen-undegradable protein. In addition, the DG diets increased P (0.48 vs. 0.36%) and S concentrations (0.41 vs. 0.21%; DM basis) compared with the CON diet. As a result, DG versus CON decreased plasma and milk urea N concentrations and urinary N excretion. However, the increase in P concentration when feeding the DG versus CON diet to lactating cows increased P intake, plasma P concentration, and urinary and fecal P excretion without affecting milk P secretion. Intake of S was greater for cows fed the DG versus CON diet, resulting in greater plasma total S and sulfate concentration and urinary and fecal S excretion. However, milk S secretion was not affected by DG compared with CON. Monensin supplementation to the DG diet did not affect N intake, utilization, and excretion except that apparent N digestibility was lower compared with DG. In addition, feeding the DGMon diet did not affect P and S utilization and excretion compared with DG. The study suggests that inclusion of high RFDG in a ration by replacing mainly soybean meal altered N, P, and S utilization and excretion, but monensin supplementation to a high-RFDG diet, overall, had minimal effects on N, P, and S utilization and excretion in lactating dairy cows.

Keywords: dairy cows; monensin; reduced-fat distillers grains.