A recent study published in the Journal of Dairy Science looked at how feeding whole cottonseed (WCS) affects milk production, milk fat, and methane emissions in dairy cows. Whole cottonseed is commonly used in dairy diets because it provides fat, protein, and fiber. It also slowly releases fat in the cow’s stomach, which lowers the risk of problems like milk fat depression that can happen with other high-fat feeds.
In this study, 16 cows were fed a diet where 15% of it was made up of WCS, replacing cottonseed hulls and soybean meal. Here’s what the researchers found:
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Milk yield stayed the same, but milk fat increased—both in concentration and in the amount produced.
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The types of fats in the milk shifted slightly, with an increase in longer-chain fatty acids.
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No changes were seen in methane production, which is important because methane is a major greenhouse gas in dairy farming.
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Cows digested most of the cottonseed, and very little of it passed through the system undigested.
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While there was a slight drop in fiber digestibility, it didn’t negatively impact overall cow performance.
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Gossypol, a natural toxin found in cottonseed, increased in the cows’ blood but stayed well below harmful levels.
Why It Matters:
Feeding WCS can be a smart way to increase milk fat without hurting milk yield or increasing methane emissions. This could be a cost-effective and sustainable strategy for dairy farmers, especially as the industry looks for ways to cut greenhouse gases without reducing productivity.
Read the full research paper in the Journal of Dairy Science
