Effect of concentrate supplementation on herbage intake and milk yield of dairy cows grazing an alpine pasture

1995 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Malossini ◽  
S. Bovolenta ◽  
C. Piras ◽  
W. Ventura
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Alpine Pasture ◽  
Herbage Intake

An investigation of the effect of initial milk yield level on the response to sward height and concentrate supplementation in grazing dairy cows

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 156-156
Author(s):  
R. Pulido ◽  
J.D. Leaver
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Yield Level ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Cow Performance ◽  
Grazing Dairy Cows

The increase of milk yield potential of dairy cows raises a number of questions relating to their management at pasture where the intake potential might be limiting. The interaction of initial milk yield (IMY), sward availability (SH) and level of concentrate supplementation (CI) is largely unknown.Two experiments of 42 and 24 days in spring and midsummer were carried out with 45 and 27 Holstein Friesian cows respectively. In spring, five IMY groups (range 16.9 to 35.5 kg/day) and in midsummer three IMY groups (range 22.2 to 31.8 kg/day) were used. In both periods, three compressed sward height(3 to 5, 5 to 7 and 7 to 9 cm) and three CI (0, 3 and 6 kg/day, with 160 g CP/kg DM, 12.8 MJ ME/kg DM) were used. The grazing area consisted of 7.9 ha of perennial ryegrass which was set stocked. The herbage intake (HDMI) was estimated indirectly from individual cow performance. Grazing time (GT) was recorded for each cow on 24 hour observations. Multiple regression analyses were carried out relating the dependent variables herbage intake, grazing behaviour and milk production to the independent variables (IMY, SH, CI).

The effect of level and type of supplement offered to grazing dairy cows on herbage intake, animal performance and rumen fermentation characteristics

2003 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Sayers ◽  
C. S. Mayne ◽  
C. G. Bartram
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Protein ◽  
Protein Composition ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Animal Performance ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Grazed Pasture ◽  
Herbage Intake

AbstractA study was undertaken to examine the effect of level and type of supplement and changes in the chemical composition of herbage through the grazing season on herbage intake, animal performance and rumen characteristics with high-yielding dairy cows. Thirty-two high genetic merit dairy cows were allocated to one of four treatments in a two-phase change-over design experiment. The four treatments involved offering either high-fibre (HF) or high-starch (HS) supplements at either 5 or 10 kg dry matter (DM) per day. Animals rotationally grazed perennial ryegrass swards offered a daily herbage allowance of 23 kg DM. High levels of animal performance were maintained throughout the study with mean milk yields over the 21-week experimental period of 35·5 and 37·2 kg per cow per day on the 5- and 10-kg treatments respectively. Supplement type had no significant effect on herbage intake. Increasing the level of supplementation reduced herbage intake by 0·49 and 0·46 kg herbage DM per kg supplement DM and increased milk yield, with a milk yield response of 0·55 and 0·65 kg/kg supplement DM offered in phases 1 and 2. Supplement type had no significant effect on milk yield and milk butterfat content. However, in both phases 1 and 2, milk protein content was significantly higher with cows offered the HS supplement compared with the HF supplement, this being particularly evident at the higher level of supplementation. Supplement type also had marked effects on milk protein composition. These results indicate that high levels of performance can be achieved with dairy cows on grazed pasture with moderate levels of supplementation.

The influence of cow genetic merit for milk production on response to level of concentrate supplementation in a grass based system

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 57-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Dillon ◽  
J. Kennedy ◽  
P. Faverdin ◽  
L. Delaby ◽  
F. Buckley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Holstein Friesian

Pre-1990 published responses to supplementation at pasture ranged from 0.4 to 0.6kg milk/kg concentrate fed. However since 1990 higher responses to concentrate supplementation at pasture have been published (Delaby 2001). The objective of this study was to determine if milk production responses of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows to concentrate supplementation at pasture are influenced by genetic merit (milk yield potential) in a spring calving grass based system of milk production.

scholarly journals Choice of grazed herbage or maize silage by lactating dairy cows: influence of sward height and concentrate level

2010 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 1158-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Hernandez-Mendo ◽  
J.D. Leaver
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Feeding Time ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Concentrate Level ◽  
Friesian Cows

The preference of lactating dairy cows for grazed herbage or maize silage (MS), simultaneously offered ad libitum in the field, was examined at two sward heights (SH 4-6 and 8-10cm) and two concentrate levels (CL 0 and 6kg day-1) in a 2x2 factorial arrangement within a completely randomised experimental design. The experiment lasted 35 days and was carried out in spring using 24 multiparous Holstein Friesian cows. On average, the cows proportionately spent more time grazing than eating MS (0.85:0.15) and even though the higher rate of intake (RI) of dry matter (DM) of MS compared with grazed herbage (76 versus 26g DM min-1), the proportion of total DM intake as herbage was higher compared to that of MS (0.56:0.44). The higher crude protein and low fibre content of grazed herbage appeared to have a higher priority of choice than RI, as the cows chose to graze for longer (grazing time 385 min, MS feeding time 67min) despite the lower RI of herbage. The low proportion MS intake indicated that RI was a secondary factor of choice. Concentrate supplementation had a greater depressing effect on herbage intake than on MS intake. These results suggest that the animals reduce the intake of feed with lower RI when the labor associated to eat is decreased. The factors influencing the choice for herbage over maize silage remain unclear.

The effect of cereal concentrate supplementation on the digestibility of herbage-based diets for lactating dairy cows

1986 ◽  
Vol 106 (3) ◽  
pp. 581-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Arriaga-Jordan ◽  
W. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
The Other ◽  
Free Access ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Faecal Nitrogen ◽  
Faecal Indicators

SummaryTwo experiments were conducted, one with seven and the other with eight lactating cows, to measure the effect of supplementation with a cereal concentrate on the digestibility of fresh herbage and to provide equations relating digestibility of herbage to faecal indicators. Cattle were housed with free access to fresh herbage from individual Calan–Broadbent gates for recording feed intake, and faecal output was estimated by the use of chromic oxide. In both experiments a cereal supplement depressed herbage organic matter digestibility by 8 g/kg for each kg of fresh concentrate provided within the range 1–6 kg. The depression was associated with reduced digestibility of cellulose. Herbage digestibility was significantly related to faecal nitrogen and faecal cellulose. Herbage intake was depressed by concentrate supplementation and the response in milk yield to supplementation was small.

Effect of the level of concentrate supplementation, herbage allowance and milk yield at turn-out on the performance of dairy cows in mid lactation at grazing

2001 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Delaby ◽  
J. L. Peyraud ◽  
R. Delagarde
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Milk Protein ◽  
Body Weight Gain ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Cow Performance

AbstractIn order to establish the response of dairy cow performance to concentrate supplementation in contrasting grazing conditions and for cows differing in milk yield at turn-out, three experiments were conducted. Each year, two levels of herbage allowance were studied in interaction with four (experiment 1) or three (experiments 2 and 3) levels of concentrate on two groups of 30 to 40 mid-lactation Holstein cows producing between 20 and 46 kg milk at turnout. Amount of concentrate and herbage allowance ranged from 0 to 6 kg fresh weight and from 12 to 22 kg dry matter (DM) per cow per day respectively. The supplementation led to average responses, per kg DM concentrate, of 104 kg milk, +66 g/day body-weight gain, +0·19 g/kg milk protein and -0·57 g/kg milk fat. These responses remained linear up to 4 or 6 kg according to the years and treatments. The response to the concentrate did not vary with the milk yield or composition at turn-out. The increase in the herbage allowance from 12 to 16 kg DM per cow per day (experiment 1) improved milk yield (+1·2 kg/day) and milk protein (+0·7 g/kg) while the increase from 16 to 22 kg DM (experiments 2 and 3) had less effect (+0·5 kg/day milk yield and +0·4 g/kg milk protein). There was no clear interaction between concentrate supplementation and herbage allowance. Under the usual conditions of spring pasture, with cows in mid lactation, the use of a constant level of concentrate at grazing proves to be a technique of some interest.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document