Executive Summary & Operational Context
Total Mixed Ration (TMR) is the practice of weighing, chopping, and blending all feed ingredients—green fodder, dry roughage, grain concentrate, minerals, and vitamins—into a single uniform mixture, preventing selective sorting by cows and boosting feed efficiency by 15%.
Eliminates rumen pH spikes associated with feeding grains separately twice a day, maintaining a steady rumen pH (6.2–6.6) and lowering herd feed cost by ₹15 to ₹25 per day.
Why Traditional Component Feeding Fails High-Yielding Cattle
When a farmer feeds concentrate mash first and dry straw hours later, the sudden surge of rapidly fermentable grain starches creates severe acid spikes in the rumen (pH drops to <5.5). This causes acidosis, loose dung, foot laminitis, and milk fat depression. In contrast, every bite of TMR delivers an exact, balanced proportion of roughage and concentrate, maintaining steady microbial fermentation 24 hours a day.
Key Agronomic & Technical Guidelines:
- ✓Prevents cows from picking out tasty grains and leaving behind coarse roughage
- ✓Maximizes rumen microbial protein synthesis, reducing costly protein cake requirements
- ✓Enables feeding of cheaper agricultural byproducts (brewers grains, cotton seed hull, molasses) without refusal
Standard ICAR TMR Formulation for a 450 kg Cow Yielding 15 Liters Milk
A 450 kg dairy cow produces 15 liters of milk with 4.0% butterfat. Total daily Dry Matter (DM) requirement is 13.5 kg. The following table provides the exact daily ingredient weights on an as-fed basis.
| Feed Ingredient | Daily Fresh Weight (As-Fed) | Dry Matter % | DM Contributed (kg) | Function in TMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chopped Super Napier / Green Maize | 25.0 kg | 22% | 5.5 kg | Soluble carbohydrates & succulence |
| Chopped Wheat Straw / Kadbi (2 cm) | 4.5 kg | 90% | 4.0 kg | Effective fiber (eNDF) for rumination |
| Compound Dairy Pellets (20% CP) | 4.0 kg | 88% | 3.5 kg | Energy and bypass protein |
| De-oiled Rice Bran (DORB) | 0.5 kg | 90% | 0.45 kg | Phosphorus & digestible fiber |
| Chelated Mineral Mixture | 0.07 kg (70g) | 100% | 0.07 kg | Hormonal and reproductive health |
| Common Salt + Baking Soda | 0.08 kg (80g) | 100% | 0.08 kg | Electrolyte balance & rumen buffering |
| Total Daily TMR Intake | 34.15 kg Fresh Feed | — | 13.60 kg DM | Meets 100% nutrient requirements |
How to Implement on Your Dairy Farm
Chop All Forages Uniformly
Chop both green and dry fodder to 1.5–2.0 cm length so that cows cannot separate components.
Mix in Sequence: Dry > Concentrate > Green
Layer chopped dry straw first, sprinkle mineral mix and concentrates, and top with chopped green fodder. Blend thoroughly by shovel or TMR wagon.
Offer Feed 3 to 4 Times Daily
Distribute freshly mixed TMR in clean mangers and push up feed frequently to stimulate continuous dry matter intake.
Recommended Breeds for this System
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions: Total Mixed Ration (TMR) Formula for Dairy Cattle: Dry Matter, CP & Fiber Balancing
Need a Custom TMR Feed or Bank Loan Calculation?
Use our interactive ICAR-NDRI Total Mixed Ration calculator or explore Pashu KCC loan scales for all 73 Indian livestock breeds.