Performance of Dairy Cattle (Bos taurus) Fed with Mineral-Enhanced Concentrate Diet
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of mineral-enhanced diets on the performance of Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle, specifically focusing on milk yield, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Twelve cows in early lactation were assigned to four dietary treatments. Over a 30-day feeding trial, performance indicators including feed intake, milk yield, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and economic returns were assessed. Results showed that Treatment 3 (T3) significantly outperformed the other treatments across most parameters. Cows fed with T3 had the highest cumulative feed intake (2,090 kg), milk yield (706 L), and the most efficient FCR (2.95). Economic analysis revealed that T3 also achieved the highest net income of ?14,790.60, return on investment of 38.09%, and feed cost efficiency of ?21.30 per liter of milk. These findings indicate that supplementing dairy rations with 0.35% minerals enhances both biological productivity and economic viability and may be recommended as an optimal feeding strategy for improving dairy production under tropical farm conditions.
