Percent Protein and Amounts of Soft Red Winter Wheat for Lactating Cows

The effects of feeding a high (18%) and normal (14%) protein wheat mixture, compared to a corn concentrate mixture, were studied with Holstein cows in a switchback trial. Wheat was fed at 1/3 and 2/3 of the concentrate mixture. More wheat resulted in less 4% fat-corrected milk and a lower milk fat content. No significant differences in feed consumption, milk yield, or solids-not-fat and milk fat content due to kind of wheat were detectable; but cows consuming the high protein wheat lost weight during the trial. Milk production and feed consumption were similar when all wheat mixtures were compared to the corn mixture without wheat.