D52-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 20,1993
K
Dairy Tipfe By Dr. Randy Lyle, Ph.D.
WHAT ARE THE
NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS OF COWS?
A dairyman recently asked me “why can’t
feed companies or universities agree on what
to feed my cows?” His sincere tone revealed a
serious desire to understand why there are so
many different opinions on how and what to
feed cows.
I explained that there are no universally
accepted nutrient requirements for lactating
cows, nor are there absolute values that
quantitate the nutritional value of feedstuffs.
Even though the NEC (National Research
Council) has published nutrient recommen
dations for all types of livestock, these values
still must be used as GUIDELINES, not as
ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENTS. Further
more, feed companies, such as Purina Mills,
have researched nutrient requirements of
cows for years, and have established their
V
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WARRIOR’S MARK FEED CENTER
P.O. Box #l3O
Warrior* Mark, PA 16877
814/632-5490
FARMER'S UNION CO-OP
30 East Wallers Avenue
Greencastle, PA 17225
717/597-3191
K & K FEED, INC.
23 N. Park Street
Richland, PA 17087
717/866-2324
THE OXFORD GRAIN & HAY CO.
1212 Railroad Ave.
Oxford, PA 19363
215/932-8521
BEDFORD FARM BUREAU
Bedford PA 814/623-6194
Everett, PA 814/652-2313
New Enterprise, PA 814/766-3328
FARM CREST FEEDS
Lititz, PA 17543
717-626-0331
800-432-3040
ANTHONY’S FEED MILL
P.O. Box 212
Strausstown, PA 19559
215/488-6211
* Trademark of Ralston Purina Company
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL PURINA DEALER
kssANus
Paradise, PA 17562
717/442-4183
717/768-3301
Unionvllle, PA 19375
215/347-2377
UMBERGER’S MILL
R.D. #4 - Box #545
Lebanon, PA 17042
717/867-5161
H.C. SUMMERS, INC.
4002 Jefferson Pike
Jefferson, MD
301/473-8300
FRANKLIN FEED & SUPPLY M.G. HENNINGER & SON, INC
1977 Philadelphia Ave. Berrysburg, PA 17005
Chambersburg, PA 717/362-3333
717/264-6148
DETRICH ELEVATOR, INC,
5458 Cedar St.
Williamson, PA 17270
717/369-3724
WILLIAM GOWER & SON
Rt 1, Box SO
Williamsport, MD 21795
301/582-2818
by Dr. Randy Lyle
HECKR-BOAR
Knoxville, PA 16928
814/326-4178
HIGH BROS. MILL
441 Centerville Road
Gordonvllte, PA 17529
WOODSTOWN ICE & COAL CO., INC,
50 East Grant Street
Woodstown, NJ 08098
609/769-0069
OLEY VALLEY FEED
RD2 • Box 271 A
Oley, PA
215/987-3568
MARTIN’S FEED & FERTILIZER, INC.
Cobum, PA 16832
814/349-8787
PURINA
MILLS, INC
own set of nutrient requirements, which may
be quite different from those used by others.
The same applies to the nutritional value of
feedstuffs. There are no universally accepted
values. Although the NRC APPROXIMATES
the nutritional value of feedstuffs for cows,
these values are NOT ABSOLUTE. Purina
Mills has been measuring nutritional values
of feedstuffs for cows since 1925, and has its
own extensive data base. This information is
obviously not shared within the industry,
and our values may differ from those used by
others.
Why isn’t there agreement on what to feed
cows? Because universal nutrient require
ments of cows, and universal nutrient con
tent of feedstuffs, do not exist! Therein lies
the reason for disagreement.
239 W. Main St.
717/354-0301
SPENCER'S MILLING SERVICE
306 S. Rodney St.
Clayton, DE 19938
302/653-8011
NISSLEY FEED CENTER
Mill Rd., Box 377
Morgantown, PA 19543
215/286-9029
TRI COUNTY AG CENTER, INC.
McVeytown, PA 17051
717/899-6772
R D BOWMAN & SONS, INC.
Englar Rd
Westminster, MD 21157
301/848-3733
NORTH GLADE FEED & SUPPLY, INC,
12435-A Woodsboro Pike
Keymar, MD 21757
301/898-3414
DRAFT FEED & SUPPLY
Jon Almarode
PO Box 621, Rt. 340
Sturarts Draft, VA 24477
703-337-0408
WELLCO FEEp
RR 2, Box 1-A
Wyalusing, PA 18853
1-800-326-9651
717-746-3442 r
Feeds designed with you in mind.
Purina Mills Dairy Consultant
K