Cold-pressed rapeseed cake or rapeseed to dairy cows - milk production and profitability

Some cases in Sweden have shown that feeds grown on the own farm contributes less to environmental problems than imported feeds. Rapeseed and its co-product cold-pressed rapeseed cake (CORC) can both be locally produced and CORC has been proven to be suitable for dairy cows. In both feeds the fat content is limiting the amount that can be used in the diet. In a study with scenario calculations, using CORC was, however, found to give a lower financial output than using rapeseed. The aim of the study was to find out how milk yield, milk composition, cow health and fertility were influenced by feeding rapeseed compared to CORC in organic diets, and to calculate the profitability outcome. The study was performed during the indoor period 2009-2010 on 56 Swedish Holstein cows. The diet was 100 % organic and included a mixed ration (silage, grains and minerals) fed ad libitum and a restricted amount of concentrates (CORC vs. ground rapeseed, and field beans that were fed in both treatments). Based on results on milk production and feed consumption and prices of milk and feeds, the financial outcome for each treatment was calculated. There were no significant differences found in milk yield and composition between the feed treatments. However, cows fed rapeseed had a higher intake of the mixed ration than the cows fed CORC, which led to a higher profitability for cows fed the CORC compared to cows fed rapeseed, especially in later lactation.