You cannot just substitute missing forages with commercial feeds if they do not have sufficient amounts of long fiber. This is an absolute requirement. Nothing will substitute for a minimum of 17 percent fiber in the daily ration, and a minimum of 15 to 20 percent of the daily feed intake must be more than 1.5 inches long. Lack of minimum fiber length in the ration means reduced chewing by the dairy animals, which leads to insufficient saliva supply and buffering of rumen fermentation, faster passage of rumen contents, less fill of the rumen and decrease of its motility. These conditions combine to provide a greater chance for migration of the abomasum at a time after calving, kidding or lambing when feed intake, typically, is already at a lower level.
Some commercial feeds provide fiber and length of fiber.
In this area, the best-known alternative to forage shortage in a dairy ration is whole cottonseed. However, cottonseed has been used with good success as a partial forage substitute. Whole cottonseed has 24 percent protein and 23 percent fat contents, making it also an excellent energy and protein supplement. The decision must be based on a number of factors, including supplying the necessary missing forage fiber as well as the nutrient content in energy and protein relative to other alternatives. This is definitely the case in this country for sunflower seed.