Feeding Tips from Agriculture Canada: TOTAL MIXED RATIONS FOR DAIRY CATTLE

Total Mixed Rations (TMR) blend all feedstuffs (forage, grain, protein, minerals) into one complete ration. This type of feeding system is becoming increasingly popular.

ADVANTAGES:

1. Increased Milk Production. Research and on-farm experience shows that an increase of 6-8% can be expected. The increase in production is likely due to correcting problems in current feeding programs (reduction in nutrient selection, improved ration formulation, stability of ration composition, masking of unpalatable feeds, increased record keeping).
2. Reduces Feed Costs. This savings comes from several areas. A TMR can mask or improve palatability and handling problems allowing lower cost feedstuffs with undesirable feeding characteristics to be more readily utilized. Feed wastage is reduced 3-5%. In a herd with more than one TMR, forage allocation can reduce feed costs by 5-7%.
3. Improved Butterfat Test. Research suggests that cows fed a TMR eat 8-10 meals per day with an average duration of 30 minutes. This increase in feeding frequency, along with the continuous buffering effects of the forage, helps to minimize fluctuations in rumen ph. This may account for average responses of 0.1 to 0.2 percentage units of increased fat test on TMR feeding programs.
4. Reduction In Metabolic Health Problems. It is impossible for the cow to consume excess grain relative to forage unless the entire diet is incorrectly formulated. Reproductive efficiency is improved when acidosis, ketosis, displaced abomasum and off-feed problems are reduced.
5. Labour. Producers who were hand feeding forage, grain, protein supplement and minerals report labour savings of 1-2 hours/day when a TMR was put in place.

LIMITATIONS:

1. Exclusion Or Difficulty With Baled Hay. TMR's are best suited to a silage or haylage forage feeding program. Baled hay must be chopped before being incorporated into a TMR.
2. Fixed Equipment Cost. The purchase of equipment (mixer, silage conveyors) is necessary. For a 50 cow herd with twice a day feeding, the cost would be $15,000-$20,000.
3. Some Modification Of Existing Facilities May Be Necessary. The cost of modifications must be charged against the TMR system.
4. Ration Formulation Is More Demanding. Errors if formulation affect many cows. Moisture levels of forage must be frequently monitored.

Article Written by: Karen Dupchak, Animal Nutritionist, Animal Industry Branch, Manitoba Agriculture, (204) 945-7668

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