Milk production and protein concentration are enhanced by replacing mechanically extracted canola meal with commercially treated canola meal in dairy diets

Abstract

By-Pro canola meal (Australian Patent 748 131) prepared from mechanically extracted canola meal was used in an experiment near Geelong, Victoria, in which it replaced (wt/wt on a DM basis) untreated mechanically extracted canola meal in the compound feed offered to high producing dairy cows. Herd testing began after all cows had calved and continued for the next 106 days. Protein (CP), fat and milk production were measured and a dollar return for production calculated (Fat*$2.0 + Protein*$5.0 - 2.8c/L). The dollar return over the last 75 days of the experiment was significantly greater for the test cows (P=0.03) and similarly, cumulative protein production was significantly greater for the test cows (P=0.05). Fat production followed a similar pattern. The dollar return per cow for the entire experiment was $71.8 greater for the test cows and, if the same pattern had continued for the next 100 days, it would have been $190 per cow. By-Pro canola meal had a rumen undegradable protein (RUP) content of 70% compared with only 10.1% for untreated canola meal. The By-Pro process is capable of processing various protein feed materials to produce products with enhanced RUP contents.