Thus, the backbone of the dairy feeding program is supplying a high-quality forage to the dairy cow so the forage does not limit milk production. Because energy requirements of high producing dairy cows are great and there is a limited physical capacity for the consumption of feed, providing high quality forages to the milking dairy herd is critical. If poor quality forages are fed, either milk production is reduced or additional concentrate must be fed to maintain milk production. Even then, high-fiber forages may restrict milk production as indicated in Tables 2 and 3. Maximum average milk production with the typical grass hay used in Tables 2 and 3 as the only forage source is 55 pounds per day.
Forages are essential to maintain a metabolic balance in the rumen.
This increased feed turnover allows the cow to consume greater quantities of other feeds as indicated by comparing rations in Tables 2 and 3. Also, high quality forages provide greater amounts of nutrients to the cow than low-quality forages. When feeding forages of different qualities, the amount of forage in the diet must be adjusted to obtain optimal amounts of fiber to ensure proper rumination and efficient milk production. If very high-quality forages such as alfalfa with a relative feed value of greater than 200, are the only forage and fiber source, bloat and related problems may occur. A minimum amount of fiber is required in the ration.