Dry cow pasture silage mineral concentrations and dry cow mineral requirements and supplementation practices on Irish dairy farms.

ABSTRACT: In the Republic of Ireland, pregnant dry dairy cows are typically housed and fed pasture silage. However, its mineral concentrations vary greatly, and dietary mineral recommendations are based on other main feedstuffs and cow types. This study, which is part of a larger project, aims to describe pasture silage mineral composition, comparing it to estimated Irish dry cow requirements, and describe mineral feeding practices. Macrominerals and trace minerals were determined for pasture silage samples from 27 commercial farms. Farmers completed a feeding management questionnaire, and mineral requirements for each farm were calculated for pregnant dry cows at 270 d of gestation, with mean estimated live weight of 557 kg and dry matter (DM) intake of 9.2 kg/d. Mineral concentrations in pasture s

SUBMITTER: Horan L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12523131 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature