Whey

Several reviews of whey feeding have been completed (7) (CAB 800460286) (Dingstad, 1980); (8) (CAB 800460533) (Modler, 1980); (17) (AGRIS 91-015173) (Economides, 1990). Liquid whey feeding has been shown to reduce feeding costs (15) (CAB D898087) (Hacker, 1983). Advantages and disadvantages of liquid vs dry whey has been reviewed (1) (CAB 750417314) (Turnbull, 1974). Distant for source and transport cost is the primary factor influencing the economic feasibility of feeding whey (16) (CAB D899903) (Metzler, 1983).

Adequate heat treatment (pasteurization) should be applied to assure that all pathogenic organisms have been destroyed.

Allowing an adaptation time is critical when feeding whey to cattle, as is feeding enough hay to prevent diarrhea (24) (CAB 930463566) (Steinwender, 1993). Whey can be used to partially replace oilseed meals in ewe feeding programs (14) (CAB D940776) (Nesterenko, 1981). Liquid whey feeding to dairy cattle has been shown to provide a viable and economical source of nutrients (13) (CAB D985532) (Petrovskaya, 1983). Feeding of whey to lactating dairy cattle was shown to increase butterfat and protein percentages in the milk (11) (CAB 830483137) (Buchberger, 1982); (24) (CAB 930463566) (Steinwender, 1993). Whey feeding to lactating dairy cattle was shown to decreased butterfat percentage in the milk (2) (CAB 731412774) (Schingoethe, 1973). Milk production and live weight gains were increased when liquid whey was fed (17) (AGRIS 91-015173) (Economides, 1990); (19) (CAB N323940); (20) (CAB N261490) (Herold, 1990). Feeding of whey resulted in similar performance in growing bulls and caused a saving of concentrate and silage (23) (CAB 931465494) (Lehmann, 1993). Cattle can be fed a maximum of 25 to 30 % of their daily DM intake as whey, if adequate amounts of hay is also being fed (22) (CAB 940403516) (Lehmann, 1993); (24) (CAB 930463566) (Steinwender, 1993). Feeding of whey to growing bulls was found to increase % propionic acid and decrease acetic in rumen (4) (AGRIS 86-003273) (Kolat, 1983). Dry whey can replace up to 1/3 of the dried milk in a calf feeding program without decreasing gains and reducing feed conversion (25) (CAB N417880) (Capper, 1992). Feeding of cottage cheese whey to calves increased gains in calves (4) (CAB 750422122) (Hendrix, 1975).

Whey needs to be limited in feeding applications for swine, because of its low DM content and hense low energy content, low protein content with an imbalanced amino acid profile, mineral imbalance and high lactose content (6) (CAB 800465809) (Fevrier, 1979). Ad libitum feeding of liquid whey to young swine was shown not to cause any problems (10) (CAB 79040792) (Brocksoppp, 1979). Lactose utilization and dietary level needs to be considered when feeding whey to swine (5) (CAB 800461085) (Benevenga, 1979). Concentrated whey was shown to be a good feed for young growing swine (12) (CAB 810471012) (Dogurevich, 1981). Feeding of whey can result in intestinal hemorrhage syndrome, caused by rapid fermentation of lactose and high levels of gas production (3) (CAB 772281549) (Todd, 1977); (21) (CAB 942201965) (Hani, 1993). Whey feeding was shown to reduce ascarid egg count in the feces of swine (9) (CAB 800462260) (Alfredsen, 1980).

Dried whey was incorporated into starter (0, 3, 6, 9 %) and finisher (0, 2, 4, 6 %) broiler diets replacing either fish meal, soybean meal or sunflower meal and the best performance was at the 3 % in the starter and 2 % in the finisher incorporation rates (3) (CAB 770432002) (Petkova, 1976). Whey was shown to be able to replace a commercial supplement without causing differences in performance (18) (CAB D306724) (Vieites, 1987).