Guide
What Do Cows Eat? A Daily Feeding Guide
The five things every dairy cow and buffalo needs each day, with a simple starting ration you can adjust.
Dairy cows eat green fodder (or silage), dry fodder such as straw, concentrate feed, a little mineral mixture and salt, and drink plenty of clean water.
The five parts of a dairy ration
| Feed | Examples | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Green fodder | Berseem, maize, sorghum, oats, napier grass | Protein, vitamins, appetite |
| Silage | Fermented maize or sorghum | Green feed through the dry season |
| Dry fodder | Wheat straw (bhusa), rice straw, hay | Fibre for the rumen; fills the cow |
| Concentrate | Cattle feed (wanda), oil cakes, bran, grain | Energy and protein for milk |
| Minerals and salt | Mineral mixture, salt | Bones, fertility, milk; prevents deficiencies |
A simple starting ration for a milking cow
For a cow giving about 10 litres a day, many small farms start near this, then adjust by body condition and milk yield:
- Green fodder: 15 kg
- Silage: 10 kg (or more green fodder if you have no silage)
- Dry fodder: 5 kg
- Concentrate: 1.5 kg for maintenance, plus 1 kg for every 2.5 litres of milk (every 2 litres for buffaloes)
- Mineral mixture: about 80 g (NDDB tables use about 65–90 g)
- Salt: about 40 g, and water at all times
See what this ration costs with your local prices in the feed cost calculator.
Feeding rules that protect milk and health
- Change feeds slowly over 7–10 days.
- Feed concentrate in two or more meals, not one big meal.
- Do not feed mouldy fodder or silage.
- Wilt lush legumes like berseem before feeding to reduce the risk of bloat.
- Ask a vet or nutritionist to balance the ration for high-yielding cows.
Questions farmers ask
Do cows eat hay?
Yes. Hay and straw are dry fodder. They give fibre that keeps the rumen working, but they are low in protein and energy, so milking cows also need green fodder and concentrate.
What should I feed a cow for more milk?
Good green fodder or silage, enough concentrate for her milk yield, mineral mixture every day, salt and unlimited clean water. Sudden changes in feed reduce milk, so change rations slowly.
Can cows eat only grass?
Cows can live on grass alone, but high-yielding dairy cows usually need extra energy and protein from concentrate to milk well and stay in good condition.
How much water does a cow drink?
A lot: milking cows need clean water available all day, and needs rise sharply in hot weather and with higher milk yield.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-10-10.