The performance of Holstein Friesian dairy cows of high and medium genetic merit for milk production on grass-based feeding systems

2000 ◽  
Vol 64 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 107-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Buckley ◽  
P. Dillon ◽  
S. Crosse ◽  
F. Flynn ◽  
M. Rath
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Feeding Systems

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.

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

2002 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kennedy ◽  
P. Dillon ◽  
P. Faverdin ◽  
L. Delaby ◽  
F. Buckley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Protein Yield ◽  
Feeding System ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Feeding Systems

AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate if there is a genotype ✕ feeding system interaction for milk production in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. For this purpose, 48 high genetic merit (HM) and 48 medium genetic merit (MM) dairy cows, were used in a two (genotypes) ✕ three (levels of concentrate feeding) randomized-block design experiment in three consecutive years. In year 1, all animals were in their first lactation, while in year 2 and year 3, 18 and 12 first lactation cows replaced animals culled at the end of the previous lactation. A total of 66 cows remained in the study in the same feeding system for the 3-year duration of the study. Concentrate feeding levels were 376, 810 and 1540 kg per cow per lactation; these were identified as the LC, MC and HC feeding systems respectively. There was a separate farmlet for each feeding system; farmlets were managed so that pre-grazing and post-grazing herbage height were similar for all three feeding systems. When compared on treatment means there was a significant genotype ✕ feeding system interaction for fat yield, while for mean solid-corrected milk yield the interaction was close to statistical significance (P = 0·07). However, regression coefficients of both milk and protein yield on pedigree index for milk and protein yield were significantly different between the LC and the HC. The interaction between feeding system and the regression of both on pre-experimental milk and protein yield were close to statistical significance (P = 0·08 and P = 0·09 respectively). Outputs of milk, fat, protein and lactose were greater for the HM than the MM cows. Feeding system had a significant effect on milk, fat, protein and lactose yields. There was a significant genotype ✕ feeding system interaction for body condition score (BCS) at the end of lactation; the MM cows had a higher rate of body tissue repletion than the HM cows especially in the HC system. The results suggest that there is a genotype ✕ concentrate feeding level interaction and that feeding systems developed in the past for animals of lower genetic merit may require adaptation if they are to be optimal for higher genetic merit animals.

Implications of genotype X nutrition interactions for efficiency of milk production systems

1995 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 67-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Mayne ◽  
F. J. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Nutrient Intake ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Dairy Herd ◽  
Animal Performance ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
High Forage ◽  
Feeding Systems

AbstractMajor increases in the rate of genetic improvement in the dairy herd have been obtained in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland since the mid 1980s. The implications of increases in genetic merit and the possible consequences of genotype X nutrition interactions on the efficiency of milk production systems are reviewed. The majority of previous studies with dairy cattle of moderate genetic merit suggest little evidence of genotype X nutrition interactions across a range of nutritional and management regimes, with higher milk production of high merit cows largely accounted for by effects on nutrient partitioning. However, more recent results suggest a significant re-ranking of sires when evaluated under either intensive feeding systems or in systems with a high reliance on grazed pasture.Under intensive feeding systems higher animal performance has been obtained with high merit cows across a range of concentrate inputs and feeding systems. However, recent results from the Langhill studies provide the first tentative evidence of a genotype X nutrition interaction, with significantly different regression coefficients between genetic merit (as assessed by pedigree index) and milk production, under either low or high forage diets. The implications of these results are that high merit cows may be unable to express their full genetic potential for milk production when offered a high forage (or low energy density) diet. Consequently, the influence of other factors which have a major effect on voluntary food intake, and hence nutrient intake, e.g. forage dry matter content and forage digestibility, may be relatively more important with high genetic merit dairy cows.It is concluded that higher milk production in high merit cows is largely attributable to variation in partitioning of nutrients, rather than to changes in food intake or digestive efficiency. Consequently, it is important fully to assess the animal performance and welfare implications of maintaining high genetic merit dairy cows under systems which may limit nutrient intake, e.g. under high forage regimes involving a high reliance on grazed or conserved forage. The major challenge for research and dairy herd management is to increase food intake with grass- and/or grass silage-based diets, thereby reducing the need for high levels of concentrates input to prevent excessive body condition loss with high genetic merit dairy cows in early lactation.

scholarly journals Effect of Genetic Merit and Concentrate Supplementation on Grass Intake and Milk Production with Holstein Friesian Dairy Cows

2003 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 610-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kennedy ◽  
P. Dillon ◽  
L. Delaby ◽  
P. Faverdin ◽  
G. Stakelum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Holstein Friesian

The weight and concentration of body components in high genetic merit Holstein-Friesian dairy cows managed on four different grassland-based feeding regimes

2005 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. B. Woods ◽  
C. P. Ferris ◽  
F. J. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Body Tissue ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Feeding Regimes ◽  
Body Components ◽  
Cow Performance ◽  
Direct Measures ◽  
Effect Of Feeding

AbstractIt is well established that the genetic merit of the Holstein-Friesian dairy cow for milk production has increased over the past 20 years. Previous studies have examined the effect of feeding system on indices of body tissue reserves of medium genetic merit Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. The aim of the current study was to examine the weight and concentration of body components in high genetic merit Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, managed on four different grassland-based feeding regimes, using direct measures of body composition. Results indicate that there was no significant effect of different grassland-based feeding regimes on the weight or composition of body components of high genetic merit cows. Therefore, high levels of cow performance can be sustained from very different grassland-based systems of milk production without having a detrimental effect on body tissue reserves.

A comparison of two contrasting milk production systems for high genetic merit autumn calving dairy cows in a grassland based production environment

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 76-76
Author(s):  
C.P. Ferris ◽  
F.J. Gordon ◽  
D.C. Patterson ◽  
C.S. Mayne
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Protein Concentration ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
Two Systems ◽  
High Feed ◽  
Feed Value

In a previous short term study, Ferris et al. (1997) demonstrated that similar levels of nutrient intake and animal performance could be obtained by either increasing silage feed value and reducing concentrate feed level, or by reducing silage feed value and increasing concentrate feed level. The principles established in this study were incorporated into this trial to examine two systems of milk production over a full lactation, including both the winter and grazing periods.Forty high genetic merit dairy cows (PTA95 fat + protein = 38.2 kg), in their second or subsequent lactation, were used in a continuous design full lactation study. Animals had a mean calving date of 1 November and were allocated to one of two systems of milk production, HF or HC, within 36 hours of calving. During the winter, animals on system HF were offered a silage with high feed value characteristics, supplemented with 5.5 kg of concentrate (crude protein concentration of 280 g/kg DM) through an out-of-parlour feeding system.

Physiological characteristics of high genetic merit and low genetic merit dairy cows: a comparison

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 4-4
Author(s):  
A. Sorensen ◽  
M. Alamer ◽  
C. H. Knight
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Plasma Samples ◽  
Major Research ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Casting Technique ◽  
Biological Variables ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Key Enzyme

Genetic selection has greatly improved individual cow productivity. A high genetic merit Holstein Friesian cow will produce 10,000 of litres of milk in a 305 day lactation, those of lower genetic merit half this amount. Despite major research effort in generating these differences, quantitative biological description of what has been achieved is lacking. The aim of this study was to compare biological variables of relevance to milk synthesis in well defined high genetic merit and lower genetic merit dairy cows.12 cows of high genetic merit (HGM: top 5% of UK national herd) and 12 of lower genetic merit (LGM: close to UK average) were purchased from the Blythbank and Langhill herds; the ontogeny of these selection lines has been described elsewhere (Woolliams et al, 1993). Mean parity was 3.7±0.3 and was balanced between HGM and LGM. Management of the two groups was identical. Measurements were made over a period of two weeks close to peak lactation. Milk yield was recorded at each milking. Plasma samples were collected and analysed for a variety of hormones by radioimmunoassay and metabolites by established spectrophotometric assays. Udder size was determined by a casting technique (Dewhurst et al., 1993) and mammary biopsies for key enzyme activities were obtained as described by Knight et. al. (1992). Differences between lines were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Replacing wheat with canola meal and maize grain in the diet of lactating dairy cows: Feed intake, milk production and cow condition responses

2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruairi P McDonnell ◽  
Martin vH Staines
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Milk Protein ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Canola Meal ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Maize Grain ◽  
The Difference

This research paper describes the effect of partially replacing wheat with maize grain and canola meal on milk production and body condition changes in early lactation Holstein-Friesian dairy cows consuming a grass silage-based diet over an 83-d period. Two groups of 39 cows were stratified for age, parity, historical milk yield and days in milk (DIM), and offered one of two treatment diets. The first treatment (CON) reflected a typical diet used by Western Australian dairy producers in summer and comprised (kg DM/cow per d); 8 kg of annual ryegrass silage, 6 kg of crushed wheat (provided once daily in a mixed ration), 3·6 kg of crushed lupins (provided in the milking parlour in two daily portions) and ad libitum lucerne haylage. The second treatment diet (COMP) was identical except the 6 kg of crushed wheat was replaced by 6 kg of a more complex concentrate mix (27% crushed wheat, 34% maize grain and 37% canola meal). Lucerne haylage was provided independently in the paddock to all cows, and no pasture was available throughout the experiment. The COMP group had a greater mean overall daily intake (22·5vs20·4 kg DM/cow) and a higher energy corrected milk (ECM) yield (29·2vs27·1 kg/cow;P= 0·047) than the CON cows. The difference in overall intake was caused by a higher daily intake of lucerne haylage in COMP cows (4·5vs2·3 kg DM/cow). The CON group had a higher concentration of milk fat (42·1vs39·3 g/kg;P= 0·029) than COMP cows. Milk protein yield was greater in COMP cows (P< 0·021); however, milk fat yield was unaffected by treatment. It is concluded that partially replacing wheat with canola meal and maize grain in a grass silage-based diet increases voluntary DMI of conserved forage and consequently yields of ECM and milk protein.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document