Effects of Substituting Soybean Meal with Canola Meal on some Production Traits in Early Lactation Holstein Cows

To study the effect of using canola meal instead of soybean meal on dry matter intake, milk yield and composition and some blood metabolites twelve cows after calving were used. Design treatments were two diets containing soybean meal (SBM; n = 6) or canola meal (CM; n=6). Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS software. Results of this study showed that diets had no effect on dry mater intake, milk production and composition. Diets containing canola meal increased milk fat. Plasma glucose, cholesterol, Blood urea nitrogen and aspartate transaminase concentrations were similar among diets. In conclusion results from this experiment demonstrate that substituting CM with soybean meal in the diet of early lactating cows had no adverse effect on milk production and composition and blood metabolites, therefore using CM could be better in terms of reducing the diet expenses.