The effect of sward height on grazing behaviour and herbage intake of three sizes of Charolais cattle grazing cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) swards

1995 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ferrer Cazcarra ◽  
M. Petit ◽  
P. D'hour
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Scaling Factor ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
M 10 ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Charolais Cattle ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

AbstractMature non-lactating cows, 18-month-old heifersand7-month-oldfemale calves of the Charolais breed (eight animals of each age) were strip-grazedon short (S, sward surface height: 7·5 cm), medium (M,10·2 cm) and tall (T, 21·1 cm) cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) swards at a daily herbage allowance of 40 g dry matter per kg live weight over three 15-day experimental periods. The swards were leafy regrowths of 1 (S), 2 (M)and 3·5 (T)weeks of age. Herbage intake was estimated by the n-alkane method, and grazing behaviour was recorded visually.Intakes per kg live weight of calves and heifers were higher than those of cows on all swards(P < 0·01). Calves tended to maintain intake, whereas cows and heifers reduced their intake as sward height decreased. Bite weight decreased linearly with sward height, this decrease being greater for larger animals (P < 0·001). As sward height decreased, the scaling factor of bite weight to live weight decreased. Biting rates increased as sward height decreased (P < 0·001) and were lower in calves than in older cattle (P < 0·001). Calves had lower intake rates per kg live weight than cows in T swards, and the reverse was true in S swards (P < 0·001). Younger cattle always grazed longer than cows, but differences were reduced as sward height decreased (P < 0·01). Cows and heifers wereunable to increase their grazing time sufficiently to compensate for lower intake rates in S and M swards, resulting in reduced herbage intakes. Faecal markers and grazing behaviour suggested a greater selectivity by calves compared with older cattle.

The influence of animal age and sward height on the herbage intake and grazing behaviour of Charolais cattle

1995 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ferrer Cazcarra ◽  
M. Petit
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Nitrogen Concentration ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
In Vitro Digestibility ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Biting Rate ◽  
Charolais Cattle ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

AbstractMature dry cows, 18-month-old heifers and 7-month-old female calves of the Charolais breed (eight animals of each age) were strip-grazed on moderate (15cm) or tall (52 and 32cm) cocksfoot swards over two 15-day experimental periods. The swards were leafy regrowths of 2 (short) and 8 (tall) weeks of age. Herbage intake was estimated by the alkane method, and grazing behaviour was visually recorded.Bite weight was lower, grazing time and biting rate greater, and organic matter in take of grass (OMIG) higher on shorter swards, the latter being related to a higher in vitro digestibility and nitrogen concentration. Average OMIG per kg live weight (M) was 15·2, 19·1 and 17·0 (s.e.d. 0·49)g in cows, heifers and calves respectively. The average allometric coefficient between OMIG and M was 0·88 (similar between swards), and close to that obtained with hay after the grazing trial.Faecal markers suggested a greater selectivity of calves compared with older cattle. Average bite weights (BW) were 310 (s.e. 40), 467 (s.e. 112) and 718 (s.e. 144)mg OM in calves, heifers and cows respectively. The allometric coefficient between BW and M was higher in short swards than in tall ones. Biting rates increased and grazing times tended to decrease with age of cattle.

The effect of winter feeding level on subsequent grazing behaviour and herbage intake of Charolais heifers

1995 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ferrer Cazcarra ◽  
M. Petit
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Feeding Level ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Compensatory Gain ◽  
Winter Diets ◽  
Effect Of Feeding ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

AbstractTwo groups of eight Charolais heifers were used to examine the effect of feeding level during the post-weaning winter on the grazing behaviour and herbage intake over three periods during the first 2 months of grazing. The winter diets (L and H) were given to achieve a mean difference of 50 kg between groups at turn-out. The heifers were set-stocked together on a hill pasture where sward height was maintained at 12 cm.The winter live-weight gains were 0·31 and 0·70 (s.e. 0·032) kg/day for L and H heifers respectively, and spring gains 1·94 and 1·66 (s.e. 0·082) kg/day respectively. Intakes increased throughout the spring grazing for both groups. Absolute intakes were lower for L than for H heifers only during the first period (P < 0·05). Intake per kg live weight was higher in L than in H heifers (23·0 v. 21·1 (s.e. 0·54) g organic matter (OM) per kg live weight). Bite weights of H heifers were constant throughout (434, (s.e. 12·9) mg OM), while bite weights ofL heifers only reached those of H heifers in the last period. Bite weight was linearly related to live weight. Bite rates were not different between groups, but L heifers compensated for lower bite weight by grazing longer and they increased their grazing time after turn-out faster than H heifers. Grazing time was mainly responsible for higher relative intakes in L heifers, and thus, partly, for compensatory gain observed.

The relationship between milk production potential and herbage intake of grazing dairy cows

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.T. Butler ◽  
G.K. Stakelum ◽  
J.J. Murphy ◽  
L. Delaby ◽  
M. Rath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Grazing Dairy Cows ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe objective of this trial was to examine the daily herbage requirement and grass dry matter intake (DMI) of dairy cows of different levels of milk production with rotational grazing and optimum grazing conditions. The daily herbage allowance (DHA) that was required was defined as the allowance that permitted the herds to graze to a post-grazing sward height (SHA) of 70 mm. Four herds of 15 primiparous Holstein-Friesian cows were assembled with similar characteristics but different milk production potentials. The herds grazed separately and were offered a DHA such that the SHA was 70 mm for all herds. The daily yield per cow, for the 4 weeks prior to the start of the experiment (PMY), was 17·4, 19·8, 21·8 and 24·3 kg milk (s.e.0·20, P < 0·001), 0·72, 0·78, 0·87 and 0·93 kg fat (s.e. 0·021, P < 0·001), 0·59, 0·66, 0·71 and 0·77 kg protein (s.e. 0·009, P < 0·001) for herds 1 to 4, respectively. The experiment began on 30 June and finished on 16 August. The swards offered were 18-day re-growths following a previous defoliation by grazing. Herbage mass pre- and post-grazing was 2143 (s.e.33·3) and 622 (s.e.18·2) kg dry matter (DM) per ha above 40 mm, respectively and were similar for the four herds. The DHA was 21·2, 21·9, 22·9 and 23·9 (s.e. 0·13, P < 0·001) kg DM per cow above 40 mm. Individual cow grass DMI was determined once during the experimental period using the alkane technique. Experimental milk yield (EMY) was 15·1, 17·4, 18·6 and 20·8 (s.e. 0·33, P < 0·001) kg per cow per day. DMI was 14·5, 15·4, 15·5 and 16·1 (s.e. 0·47, P > 0·05). Variations in DMI were best described by the relationship: DMI = 0·85 (s.e. 3·038) + 0·32 (s.e. 0·082) ✕ EMY + 0·012 (s.e. 0·0054) ✕ experimental live weight + 2·10 (s.e. 0·738) ✕ weight gain + 0·020 (s.e. 0·0085) ✕ days in milk (residual s.d. = 1·477 and r = 0·75). EMY was linked to DMI and PMY according to the expression: EMY = –0·64 (s.e. 1·532) + 0·256 (s.e. 0·0865) ✕ DMI + 0·705 (s.e. 0·0620) ✕ PMY (residual s.d. = 1·204 and r = 0·872). It is concluded that higher yielding herds require higher DHA and this is associated with higher DMI of those herds.

The effect of body condition and previous nutrition on the herbage intakes of ewes grazing autumn pastures at two sward heights

1994 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Sibbald ◽  
W. G. Kerr
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Day Treatment ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Feeding Level ◽  
High Body ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Grazing Period

AbstractTo examine the effects of body condition and previous nutrition on the herbage intake of ewes grazing swards of different heights in autumn, 96 Scottish Blackface X Border Leicester ewes with a wide range of body condition (score 1·75 to 3·50), were initially housed and given 50 g dry matter (DM) per kg metabolic live weight (M)0·75 per day (treatment L) or 95 g DM per kg M0·75 per day (treatment H) of a pelleted dried grass diet (11·6 MJ metabolizable energy per kg DM) for 6 weeks after weaning in July. The H ewes gained more live weight (9·0 v. 2·7 kg) and body condition score (0·39 v. 0·17) than the L ewes. Half the animals from each treatment were then allocated to each of two ryegrass pastures with a sward height of 5 cm (LS) or 10 cm (HS) for a further 6-week grazing period. During the grazing period there was no significant effect of indoor feeding level on herbage intake, but the L ewes gained more live weight (6·4 v. 5·0 kg) than the H ewes. On the HS, compared with the LS sward, mean herbage intakes were higher (70·0 v. 60·5 g DM per kg M0·75) as were gains in live weight and condition score (7·9 v. 3·4 kg; 0·18 v. 0·0). There were no interactions between the effects of sward height and previous feeding level on herbage intake. Ewes in low body condition (< 2·5) at the start of the grazing period ingested the same amount of herbage on both swards (70·3 g DM per kg M0·75) whereas ewes in high body condition (> 2·5) ingested more (67·0 v. 51·6 g DM per kg M0·75) on the HS compared with the LS sward. The responses of ewes in low and high body condition to different sward heights are discussed in relation to appetite drive and aspects of grazing behaviour.

Grazing behaviour and weight change of cattle turned out to pasture in spring

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 801-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Charmley ◽  
R. W. Jannasch ◽  
J. Boyd
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
The Other ◽  
Early Group ◽  
Initial Weight ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Behavioural Patterns ◽  
Late Group ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

In the first of two trials, 20 Hereford steers were allocated to two adjacent 1.6-ha pastures on 29 May 1996. Steers in one pasture were given no supplement, while those in the other received supplemental silage each day. All steers on each treatment grazed their allocated paddock continuously for 28 d. Steers on pasture were weighed and their behaviour was monitored periodically throughout the 4 wk of grazing. The dry matter (DM) availability at turnout (651 kg hd-1) was considered in excess to requirement, since neither availability nor sward height declined over 28 d. In spite of this, steers lost 15 kg after turnout and took 12 d to regain their initial weight. There were no treatment effects. Nutrient composition of the sward changed in accordance with advancing maturity. Percent of time observed grazing (51%) did not change over the 28-d period; however, rumination time increased from around 10 to 30%. Grazing behaviour was similar for steers on both treatments. Silage intake averaged only 1.3 kg DM hd-1d-1. In 1997, 28 yearling steers were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design to study the effect of turnout date to pasture [21 May (E) vs. 4 June (L)] and supplemental silage feeding on weight change, grazing behaviour, pasture productivity and forage quality over 28 d. The DM availability at turnout was 391 kg hd-1. Available DM and sward height declined in both early and late treatments after turnout. The early group had to be removed from the trial after 16 d when sward height dropped below 4 cm. Sward quali ty after turnout declined only for the late group. Loss of body weight (BW) and days to regain initial BW after turnout were greater for early versus late steers. Steers ate only 0.5 kg silage DM hd-1d-1, but this reduced weight loss in late steers. Cattle turned out later spent less time grazing (P < 0.001 at 5 and 14 d) but no less time ruminating. Transient weight loss associated with turnout to pasture cannot be wholly explained by behavioural patterns. Other factors, such as altered ruminal conditions, must also play an important role. Key words: Pasture, steer performance, grazing behaviour, weight change

The feeding value of normal and brown midrib-3 maize silage

1986 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Weller ◽  
R. H. Phipps
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Normal Diet ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Brown Midrib ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Acid Detergent Fibre ◽  
Feeding Value

SUMMARYNormal and brown midrib-3 (bm3) maize silages were fed to sheep, lactating cows and dairy calves to determine the effect of the bm3 gene on in vivo digestibility, dry-matter intake and animal performance.In two trials wether sheep were fed either normal or bm3 maize silage at maintenance level. In the first experiment the bm3 gene significantly increased the digestibility of the organic matter(OM), cell wall constituents (CWC), acid-detergent fibre (ADF), cellulose and hemicellulose from 76·9, 74·7, 67·3, 74·2 and 79·5% to 79·6, 79·2, 75·8, 80·8 and 81·5%. In the second experiment the gene increased the digestibility of the OM, CWC, ADF and cellulose from 65·9, 44·7, 28·5 and 38·7% to 701, 59·3, 560 and 66·1, 39·1,32·8, 40·4 and 45·5% to 68·1, 51·9, 53·7, 58·0 and 49·2%. The digestibility of the protein was similar for both diets.In a feeding trial 6-month-old calves were fed either normal or bm3 silage ad libitum together with 1·6 kg D.M. of a protein supplement. The dry-matter intake of the two silages was similar; however, the daily live-weight gain of 0·92 kg for calves fed the bm3 diet was significantly higher than the 0·83 kg for calves fed the normal diet.

Milk-fed calves: 5. The effect of a change in milk intake upon the herbage intake and performance of grazing calves

1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 443-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. L. P. Le Du ◽  
R. D. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Daily Weight Gain ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Milk Substitute ◽  
Metabolizable Energy Intake ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Reconstituted Milk

SummaryThe effect of the amount of milk consumed upon the herbage intake and performance of calves at pasture, following a standard rearing period, was investigated using 50 Hereford × Friesian calves purchased at 10–12 days ofage. All calves were offered 6 kg reconstituted milk substitute for a 58 day period indoors and for a subsequent 31 days at pasture. Ten calves were then allocated to each of five milk treatments (0, 2, 4, 6, 10 kg/day) and grazed for a further 63 days. The calves were offered a daily herbage allowance of 60 g dry matter/kg live weight.Daily weight gain was increased by 59 g for each additional kilogramme of reconstituted milk consumed, and herbage intake per unit live weight decreased by 1–24 g/g milk organic matter consumed, equivalent to a reduction in metabolizable energy intake of 9 kJ. Clear effects of both age and diet upon the consumption of herbage were demonstrated. An explanation of the mechanisms governing intake of herbage in milk–fed calves is offered.

Performance and productivity of Nellore steers on rotationally stocked palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha) pastures in response to herbage allowance

2011 ◽  
Vol 149 (6) ◽  
pp. 761-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. R. HERLING ◽  
C. G. S. PEDREIRA ◽  
P. H. DE C. LUZ ◽  
G. J. BRAGA ◽  
W. A. MARCHESIN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Individual Animal ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Brachiaria Brizantha ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Grazing Cattle ◽  
Daily Gain ◽  
Sward Structure

SUMMARYHerbage allowance (HA) impacts performance of grazing cattle as well as sward structure and herbage yield. The objective of the current study was to compare average daily gain (ADG) of Nellore steers on Marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst ex A. Rich.) Stapf. cv. Marandu) pastures in response to HA. Treatments were applied as 5, 10, 15 and 20 kg dry matter (DM) per 100 kg live weight (LW) per day HA5, HA10, HA15 and HA20), in rotationally stocked pastures under a 35-day grazing cycle (28 days of rest and 7 days of grazing). The trial was carried out in Pirassununga, Brazil, during two summer seasons in 2003 and 2004, each divided into four grazing cycles. Individual animal (250 kg yearling steers) gain increased with HA up to HA15 (mean=0·69 kg/head per day) during each of four grazing cycles per year. The 2-year gain per area was greater for HA5 and HA10 than for HA15 and HA20 and average stocking rate was 9·6, 6·7, 5·4 and 4·6 head/ha for HA5 to HA20, respectively. In addition to the effects of HA on ADG, changes in sward structure, especially sward height, help to explain variation in daily gain in both years. The HA10 treatment provides higher gain per area without excessively reducing individual animal performance, and thus may be the level of choice for optimizing animal output in pasture-only systems.

scholarly journals Effect of Post-Grazing Sward Height, Sire Genotype and Indoor Finishing Diet on Steer Intake, Growth and Production in Grass-Based Suckler Weanling-to-Beef Systems

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2623
Author(s):  
Peter R. Doyle ◽  
Mark McGee ◽  
Aidan P. Moloney ◽  
Alan K. Kelly ◽  
Edward G. O’Riordan
Keyword(s):  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Grass Silage ◽  
Grazed Pasture ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Subsequent Effect ◽  
Fat Score ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

This study evaluated the effects of post-grazing sward height (PGSH, 4 or 6 cm) on herbage production, its nutritive value, dry matter (DM) intake, grazing behaviour and growth of early- (EM) and late-maturing (LM) breed suckler steers (n = 72), and the subsequent effect of indoor finishing diet (grass silage + 3.8 kg concentrate DM/head daily (SC), or grass silage only (SO)) on performance and carcass traits. Animals rotationally grazed pasture for 196 days, followed by indoor finishing for 119 days. At pasture, daily live-weight gain (LWG) was 0.10 kg greater for PGSH-6 than PGSH-4, resulting in a tendency for carcass weight to be 11 kg heavier. Although EM had a 0.10 kg greater daily LWG at pasture than LM, carcass weight did not differ between the genotypes. There was a genotype × PGSH interaction for carcass fat score, whereby there was no difference between EM-4 (8.83, 15-point scale) and EM-6 (8.17), but LM-6 (7.28) was greater than LM-4 (6.33). Although concentrate supplementation during indoor finishing increased carcass weight (+37 kg) and fat score (1.75 units), the majority of steers (83% of EM and 78% of LM) achieved a commercially-acceptable carcass fat score (6.78) at slaughter in the grass-forage-only system.

EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTARY HAY FED TO NON-LACTATING COWS OFFERED TWO ALLOWANCES OF PASTURE

1988 ◽  
pp. 127-130
Author(s):  
G.A. Wills ◽  
C.W. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Substitution Rate ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Rate Condition ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Herbage Yield ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Metabolisable Energy ◽  
Friesian Cows

The objective of this study was to measure the effects of giving hay as a supplement to cows grazing at two different daily herbage allowances. Pregnant, non-lactating Friesian cows were allocated to four treatments: low herbage allowance with hay (LA+) or wthout hay (LA); and high allowance with hay (HA+) 01 without hay (HA). Hay was fed at 5 kg DM/cow daily, and the two herbage allowances were 9 or 14 kg DM/cow daily. Supplementing with hay increased total dry matter (DM) intake, but decreased herbage DM intake at both allowances. The decreases in herbage intake were 0.26 and 0.40 kg herbage OM eaten per kg hay DM eaten, at the lower and higher allowances respectively. The corresponding values, expressed as MJ metabolisable energy (ME), were decreases of 0.44 and 0.65 MJME from herbage per MJME eaten as hay. The decreases in herbage intake resulted in increases in residual herbage yield at both allowances. The implications of these results for grazing management during the winter are brlefly discussed. Keywords: supplementary feeding, hay, substitution rate, condition score, dairy cattle.

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