Milk yield, gross composition and fatty acid profile of dual‐purpose A osta R ed P ied cows fed separate concentrate‐forage versus total mixed ration

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of two feeding methods on milk yield, composition and fatty acid ( FA ) profile obtained from dual‐purpose cattle. Twenty‐four A osta R ed P ied cows beyond peak of lactation were assigned to two groups and fed hay and concentrates in the proportions 0.69 and 0.31 on a dry matter basis for 10 weeks. Concentrates were offered separately from forages 6 times a day (separate ration, SR ) or as a total mixed ration ( TMR ). The feeding method did not significantly influence dry matter intake (16.8 vs . 16.9 kg/head/day for SR ‐ and TMR ‐fed cows, respectively), milk yield (17.4 vs . 17.5 kg/head/day), milk fat, protein and lactose contents (36.4 vs . 35.2, 33.5 vs . 32.8, and 47.3 vs . 47.4 g/kg) and yields (607.9 vs . 613.4, 567.4 vs . 572.7 and 805.5 vs . 829.7 g/head/day). The overall milk FA profile was very similar between groups. Milk concentrations of FA used as indirect markers of rumen function ( C 18:2 t 10 c 12, odd‐ and branched‐chain FA ) and the extent of ruminal biohydrogenation were comparable ( P  > 0.05) between SR ‐ and TMR ‐fed cows, suggesting that ruminal pH did not vary considerably as a consequence of the feeding strategy applied.