This study investigated the effect of feeding pectin-rich by-products, as a replacement for barley grains, on the performance of Holstein dairy cows. Eight cows were assigned to four dietary treatments in a 4 × 4 Latin square design and fed for 21 days. The experimental diets consisted of 370 g.kg-1 roughages and 630 g.kg-1 concentrates. The diet contained 100 g.kg DM-1 barley grains (BG, control diet), sugar beet pulp (SBP, treatment 2), wheat bran (WB, treatments 3) or dried citrus pulp (DCP, treatment 4). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) among the treatments for dry matter intake (DMI) (kg.d-1), milk production, milk composition and blood metabolites. Eating behaviour was not affected by the treatment (P > 0.05). However, the differences among the treatments for eating behaviour as min.kg-1 of neutral detergent fiber intake (NDFI) were significant (P < 0.05). These data suggest that the substitution of these by-products instead of barley grains for up to 10 % of in diet DM for dairy cows did not have any adverse effects on animal performance.

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