Intensive rotational grazing for dairy cattle feeding

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 147-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.W. Rust ◽  
C.C. Sheaffer ◽  
V.R. Eidman ◽  
R.D. Moon ◽  
R.D. Mathison
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Body Weight Changes ◽  
Cattle Feeding

AbstractA 2-year study compared milk production and profitability for confinement feeding versus rotational grazing. Guernsey and Guernsey x Holstein cows grazed perennial grass pastures from mid-May to October or were fed in confinement. Averaged over both years, confined cows produced 7% more milk; their milk was similar in fat concentration to that of grazing cows. Body weight changes and health of the two groups were similar. Net return per cow averaged $64 higher for rotational grazing than for confinement because of lower costs for feeding, facilities, equipment, and labor. Intensive rotational grazing of pastures is a competitive alternative for dairy cow feeding. However, farmers in the northern U.S. will still require stored feeds from late fall through early spring.

The effect of body-weight changes during pregnancy and lactation on the performance of three breeds of sheep

1980 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Mavrogenis ◽  
J. Hancock ◽  
A. Louca
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Body Weight Changes ◽  
Medium Level ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
High Yields ◽  
High Level

SUMMARYThree husbandry systems were used to promote differential live-weight gains in 603 Cyprus Fat-tailed, Chios and Awassi ewes. Ewes on the high level of feeding had heavier litters than those on the medium and low levels. Litter size was not affected by level of feeding during pregnancy. Milk production was highest (P < 0·01) for ewes on the high level. The milk production of Chios and Awassi ewes was similar on the high and low feeding levels, but Awassi ewes outyielded both other breeds on the medium level. Chios ewes had larger and heavier litters (P < 0·01) than both other breeds. The correlations between live weights during lactation and milk yield were low and negative indicating a tendency for body loss at high yields.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SIRE GROUPS IN BODY MEASUREMENTS AND BODY WEIGHT CHANGES OF LACTATING COWS

1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-37
Author(s):  
C. Y. LIN ◽  
T. R. BATRA ◽  
A. J. McALLISTER ◽  
A. J. LEE ◽  
J. P. F. DARISSE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Body Measurements ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Body Weight Changes ◽  
Brown Swiss ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Sire Group ◽  
National Cooperative

Body weights and measurements of 694 first, 519 second and 329 third lactation cows in five Research Branch herds of the National Cooperative Dairy Cattle Breeding Project of Agriculture Canada were studied. The A line cows were daughters of U.S., Canadian and Finnish Ayrshire proven bulls, Brown Swiss and Norwegian Red proven bulls and young Research Branch Ayshire bulls and Research Branch Ayrshire cows. Highly selected U.S. and Canadian Holstein proven bulls and young Research Branch bulls mated to Research Branch Holstein cows produced the H-line cows. The model for analysis contained fixed effects for station, year of birth, line, sire group within line and sire within sire group within line as classification variables and age at calving as a covariable. Sire group, line, station and sire had significant effects on all weights studied. However, most effects were not significant for weight changes. Daughters of Brown Swiss and Norwegian Red sires were nearly as heavy as the daughters of Holstein bulls. On average, cows lost about 20 kg of weight from calving to 56 days postpartum of first lactation. The older first calvers were found to lose more weight from calving to 56 days of first lactation and gain less weight from 56 days postpartum onward than the younger first calvers. The effects of station, line and age at calving were significant for most body measurements. Sire group effects were significant for 13 out of 24 measurements. Significant differences between sire groups existed in stature (withers height) at all lactations and ages. In contrast, body length (shoulder to hook) did not differ significantly between sire groups from 112 days of first lactation onward. Key words: Body weight changes, body measurements, dairy cattle

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