Matching grass supply to grazing patterns for dairy cows under strip-grazing management

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 49-49
Author(s):  
R.J. Orr ◽  
S.M. Rutter ◽  
P.D. Penning ◽  
N.H. Yarrow ◽  
L.D. Atkinson ◽  
...  

Grazed herbage is the cheapest feed available for dairy cows but total intake of nutrients from grazed pasture alone is generally insufficient to allow high yielding dairy cows to reach their production potential. Cows have their main daily meal following afternoon milking in the period up to sunset (e.g. Rook et al., 1994 ). In addition, both the DM content and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentration of grass increase over the day (e.g. Orr et al., 1997) due to the loss of moisture and the accumulation of the products of photosynthesis. Based on this evidence, this study tested the hypothesis that dairy cows receiving strip-grazing allocations following the afternoon rather than the morning milking would show higher intake rates and consequently higher milk yields.Twenty Holstein-Friesian cows (median calving date 10 February 1997) were each supplemented with 4 kg concentrates day-1 and strip-grazed a perennial ryegrass pasture in four groups of 5 cows.

1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 49-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.J. Orr ◽  
S.M. Rutter ◽  
P.D. Penning ◽  
N.H. Yarrow ◽  
L.D. Atkinson ◽  
...  

Grazed herbage is the cheapest feed available for dairy cows but total intake of nutrients from grazed pasture alone is generally insufficient to allow high yielding dairy cows to reach their production potential. Cows have their main daily meal following afternoon milking in the period up to sunset (e.g. Rook et al., 1994 ). In addition, both the DM content and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentration of grass increase over the day (e.g. Orr et al., 1997) due to the loss of moisture and the accumulation of the products of photosynthesis. Based on this evidence, this study tested the hypothesis that dairy cows receiving strip-grazing allocations following the afternoon rather than the morning milking would show higher intake rates and consequently higher milk yields.Twenty Holstein-Friesian cows (median calving date 10 February 1997) were each supplemented with 4 kg concentrates day-1 and strip-grazed a perennial ryegrass pasture in four groups of 5 cows.


1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 208-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Miller ◽  
M. A. Neville ◽  
D. H. Baker ◽  
R. T. Evans ◽  
M. K. Theodorou ◽  
...  

The efficiency of grass nitrogen utilisation for milk production tends to be low, due partly to the slow rate of release of energy in the rumen which reduces the efficiency of capture of rapidly degradable plant proteins by the rumen microbial population. When additional sugars are infused into the rumen, microbial protein production is increased (Rooke et al., 1987). The objective of this study was to assess milk production using a grass variety that has been bred to express elevated water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentrations.Eight multiparous Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in mid lactation (176 days ± s.e. 3.6) were used in a continuous design, zero-grazing experiment. Following covariate measurements taken from all animals on a standard grazing diet, four animals were each offered one of two varieties of perennial ryegrass at ad libitum rate: AberDove, bred to express high WSC concentrations; and AberElan, a commercially available variety, used as a control.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 ◽  
pp. 194-194
Author(s):  
C. L. Marley ◽  
D. A. Davies ◽  
J. E. Vale ◽  
J. G. Evans ◽  
N. D. Scollan ◽  
...  

Grazing experiments have shown that using a ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) variety bred by conventional techniques for high water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentrations can improve liveweight gain in pre-weaned lambs (Lee et al., 2001) and increase milk yields and reduce N excretion in dairy cows (Miller et al., 2001) compared to conventional ryegrass. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of using reseeded upland pastures, sown with either a ryegrass variety bred for elevated levels of WSC or a control ryegrass on the production performance of grazing steers when compared to steers grazing permanent ryegrass/white clover pastures.


Author(s):  
G.P. Cosgrove ◽  
J.L. Burke ◽  
A.F. Death ◽  
M.J. Hickey ◽  
D. Pacheco ◽  
...  

An elevated concentration of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) in grasses may increase the availability of readily degradable energy, increase milk production and improve the efficiency of nitrogen utilisation. Two ryegrasses with elevated WSC, a tetraploid Italian (IRG) and a diploid perennial selected for higher WSC (HSG), were compared against a standard diploid perennial (STG) during spring 2004 and 2005, and autumn 2006 and 2007. Groups of cows (n=20) grazed each grass type for periods of 6 weeks in spring and 2 weeks in autumn. During spring, the 'high' WSC grasses were 20-40 g/kg DM higher in concentration of WSC than the standard (P


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2270
Author(s):  
Cezary Purwin ◽  
Maciej Starczewski ◽  
Marta Borsuk ◽  
Zenon Nogalski ◽  
Paulina M. Opyd ◽  
...  

Different harvesting and preservation methods of Virginia fanpetals herbage were evaluated, based on the chemical composition and digestible organic matter (OM) content (D-value) of silage fed to adult sheep, the intake and digestibility of silage, and the performance of young cattle. The following harvesting methods were compared: direct-cut harvesting with a precision-cut forage harvester (DC), harvesting after field wilting with a precision-cut forage harvester (WC) or a round baler (WRB). The silage was fed for 81 days to 24 Polish Holstein Friesian (HF) bulls, as the sole forage supplemented with 3.0 kg of concentrate/head/day. Harvesting methods affected the density (p < 0.001) and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content (p = 0.047). Differences were found among the groups in the digestibility coefficients of OM (DC-73.7, WC-78.9, WRB-79.9%) (p = 0.007), and crude protein (CP) (69.8%, 77.1%, 78.5%, respectively) (p < 0.001). Dry matter intake (DMI) reached 8.38 kg (DC), 8.74 kg (WC) and 7.21 kg (WRB). Live weight gain (LWG) differed (p < 0.001) among groups (0.939, 1.033, 0.813 kg/day, respectively). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) tended to improve in WC (8.66 kg DMI/kg LWG) (p = 0.08). The highest-quality silage was produced in group WC, and it could be successfully fed to growing bulls as the sole forage.


2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 138-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZAINAB BAROON ◽  
MOHAMED ABDU RAZZAQUE

SUMMARYConocarpus lancifolius is an ornamental tree planted in Kuwait, resulting in more than 120 t of residual by-products daily. These residues could be utilised as ensiled feed. A total premix of 24 t of silage was prepared in six pilot-scale trench silos for 30 days, after which triplicate samples were taken from each trench silo, which were analysed for nutritional contents and microbial populations. Mean pH value was 4.2 ± 0.12, where mean of dry matter (DM), crude protein, crude fats, crude fibre, organic matter, lactic and acetic acids and total water soluble carbohydrate concentration were 35.10 ± 4.0%, 11.18 ± 0.07%, 2.47 ± 0.21%, 20.85 ± 0.95%, 19.53 ± 0.53%, 4.95 ± 0.32%, 1.47 ± 0.01% and 20.86 ± 0.56% on DM basis, respectively. Means of aerobic bacteria, fungi (yeast and moulds) and lactic acid bacteria counts were 1.8 ×104 ± 0.15, 1.1 × 104 ± 0.09 and 7.3 × 108 ± 0.12 colony forming units per gram of fresh silage, respectively. An animal performance trial was conducted on 60 Holstein Friesian heifers with initial live weights ranging from 262 to 275 kg, grouped in six dietary treatments for a 148-day feeding trial. The diets contained different ratios of Conocarpus silage, which ranged from 10 to 60% on DM basis partially replacing conventional roughage (alfalfa hay, straw). DM intake of heifers ranged between 11.40 ± 2.14 kg and 13.61 ± 2.54 kg. Daily live-weight gain ranged from 0.99 ± 0.38 kg to 1.20 ± 0.31 kg. From the results, Conocarpus silage could be suggested as a replacement for conventional roughage in rations for growing heifers.


1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Mayne

AbstractHerbage from first and second regrowths of perennial ryegrass based swards was directly ensiled following treatment with formic acid (850 g/kg) at 2·53 and 2·58 l/t, sulphuric acid (45% w/w) at 3·09 and 3·04 l/t, an inoculant of Lactobacillus plantarum (Kickstart, United Distillers Ltd) at 2/24 and 2/14 l/t, or no additive (control). First regrowth herbage had mean dry matter (DM) and water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations of 168 and 27·0 g/kg fresh weight with comparable values for second regrowth herbage of 164 and 16·9 g/kg respectively. All silages preserved well, although both the rate and extent of fermentation, as indicated by pH and lactic acid levels, were greater in control and inoculant-treated silages. Additive treatment had little effect on nutrient recovery following ensilage with the exception of a slightly greater recovery of both DM and energy with inoculant treated, second regrowth material. The silages were evaluated in two experiments, with 9 and 4 week periods for first and second regrowths respectively, using 48 British Friesian dairy cows. Animals were housed in individual stalls and, in addition to the treatment silages, received 5 kg/day fresh weight of a supplement containing 197 g crude protein per kg DM. Treatment of first regrowth material with formic acid significantly increased silage DM intake (P < 0·02) with a smaller, though positive effect being obtained with inoculant treatment. Treatment with either formic acid or inoculant had no significant effect on DM intake with second regrowth material. In contrast sulphuric acid tended to depress intake of first regrowth material whereas a marginal increase in intake was obtained with second regrowth material. Inoculant treatment had no significant effect on milk yield with either first or second regrowth material, although there was a tendency for small, though consistent, increases in milk fat and protein concentrations. Formic acid treatment resulted in marginal increases in fat plus protein yield whereas effects of sulphuric acid were less consistent with animal performance being decreased with first regrowth material and little effect observed with second regrowth material.


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