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Virginia Tech

Starch Digestion and Phosphorus Excretion in Lactating Dairy Cows

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The effects of starch and phosphorus (P) source on P partitioning and ruminal phytase activity were evaluated in eight lactating cows (113 DIM). Four cows were ruminaly cannulated. Cows were randomly assigned to treatments in a duplicated 4x4 Latin square with four, 18-d periods. Diets included dry ground corn (DG) or steam flaked corn (SF), with a no supplemental P (low P diet; 0.34% P) or supplemental purified phytic acid (PA; 0.45% P) to provide additional P from an organic source. Total collection of milk, urine, feces, and feed were sampled each period, while rumen fluid was sampled on d 18. Excretion of feces, urine, P, and N was lower in cows fed SF than in cows fed DG. Milk yield was unaffected by diet despite a lower DMI by cows fed SF. Cows fed SF tended to have a higher feed efficiency and lower milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentration than cows fed DG. Rumen pH was unaffected by diet, but milk fat content was lower for cows fed SF. Milk yield, DMI, and feed efficiency were not affected by PA. Cows fed PA had increased P intake and excretion, but a lower milk P as a percentage of intake compared with cows fed the low P diet. An interaction of starch source and P source was observed for ruminal phytase activity. Altering dietary sources of starch and P offers opportunity to improve P availability and reduce manure nutrient excretion.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Dairy Science
Department dc:contributor.department
Dairy Science
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2002

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Guyton, Autumn Deanne
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Knowlton, Katharine F.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Polan, Carl E.
  • Pearson, Ronald E.

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-08262002-122603
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34778

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Guyton, Autumn Deanne. Starch Digestion and Phosphorus Excretion in Lactating Dairy Cows. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34778