Effect of Feeding Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract or Aspergillus oryzae plus Yeast Culture plus Mineral and Vitamin Supplement on Performance of Holstein Cows During a Complete Lactation

The objective of this research trial was to determine the effect of supplementation of a common basal ration with Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract (AmafermC!ll) with or without yeast culture plus mineral and vitamin mix (VitaFermC!ll) (AmafermC!ll and VitaFennC!ll,Biozyme Enterprises, Inc., 1231 Alabama St., St. Joseph, MO 64504-0428) on subsequent milk production and reproduction performance over a complete lactation cycle. Pretrial PeriodEarly lactation Holstein cows (n = 210) were fed a common total mixed ration consisting of (kg/d per cow): 7.7, com earlage; 24.9, alfalfa silage; 5.9, rolled barley; 1.8 CP-mineral-vitamin supplement and 3.2, whole cottonseed during the 14-day pretrial period.Individual cow's milk production and compositi~n wer~m~i tored four times during the pretrial penod WIth composite samples collected at the 0600-, 1400-and 2200-h milkings (one-third from each rinctng).Based on the results obtained from the pretrial period, 150 high-producing, early lactation Holstein cows were blocked according to 3.5% FCM, days in milk, and lactation number and allocated randomly to one of three treatment groups of 50 cows each.Averages and ranges for the parameters by which cows were allotted are given in Table 1 for the respective groups.Groups were placed in pens equipped with free stalls.Trial Period During the test period cows were group-fed and received the following rations: 1) basal; 2) Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract (Amaferm), basal plus 3 g of Amaferm; and 3) 2922