Nutrition of the High-Yielding Dairy Cow

In addition to genetics, health status and housing management, the milk yield of the dairy cow is also significantly determined by the feeding regime. In addition to the energy and nutrient supply, the dry matter (DM) intake plays a decisive role. This is influenced by many factors, such as the palatability of the feed, the energy density, the quality of the roughage (silage quality, microbiological status, contamination with mycotoxins) or the ration design in total. Water supply of cows is often forgotten, although it has a significant influence on the feed intake and thus the performance of the cows. This article deals with those factors, gives the latest recommendations and points out possible sources of error against the background of feeding not only according to the species-specific requirements but also according to their energy and nutrient needs, as required by the Animal Welfare Act