The objective of this trial was to investigate the effects of replacing corn by coffee hulls on intake, apparent digestibility, and milk production and composition of lactating dairy cows. Treatments contained one of the following four levels of coffee hulls: 0, 5, 10 or 15% of the total dietary DM. Twelve Holstein dairy cows were blocked by days in milk and randomly assigned to three replicated 4 x 4 Latin squares. Diets were isonitrogenous averaging 15.5% of CP and composed by 60% of corn silage and 40% of concentrate on DM basis. Replacing corn with coffee hulls did not affect the intake of EE. However, intakes of DM, OM, CP, TC, and NFC as well as dietary TDN all decreased linearly with the inclusion of coffee hulls in the diet. Apparent total tract digestibilities of DM, OM, CP, TC, NDF, and NFC also reduced linearly by increasing the proportion of dietary coffee hulls. Conversely, NDF intake increased linearly when coffee hulls replaced corn in the diet. No significant differences on milk yield as well as yields and contents of fat, protein, total solids, and solids nonfat were observed by including coffee hulls in the diet. Feeding balances (milk yield gross income - feeding costs) per cow and per liter of milk both increased linearly by partially replacing corn with coffee hulls. It can be concluded that coffee hulls can replace up to 15% of the corn in the diet with no detrimental effects on production.
by-product; chemical composition; concentrate; corn
