Accepted article: Different microalgae species as a substitutive protein feed for soya bean meal in grass silage based dairy cow diets

Our article entitled ”Different microalgae species as a substitutive protein feed for soya bean meal in grass silage based dairy cow diets” has been recently accepted for publication in Animal Feed Science and Technology.

In this article we compared the value of Spirulina platensisChlorella vulgaris and Nannochloropsis gaditana as protein feeds in dairy cow nutrition to that of soya bean meal.

Click the following link to freely access the post-print version of this article:

Lamminen et al.: Different microalgae species as a substitutive protein feed for soya bean meal in grass silage based dairy cow diets-postprint version

The key findings of this article were:

  • Milk production responses to different microalgae species were evaluated in relation to soya bean meal supplemented diet
  • Compared to soya bean meal, microalgae did not affect total DMI but decreased the proportion of concentrate in the diet owing to poorer palatability of microalgae
  • Spirulina platensis increased milk fat production
  • Mixture of Nannochloropsis gaditana and Chlorella vulgaris resulted in fourfold increase in milk eicosapentaenoic acid concentration without signs of milk fat depression
  • Microalgae are likely comparable protein feed to soya bean meal in dairy cow nutrition