The effect of delaying the introduction of concentrates on the summer milk production of hay-fed dairy cows

1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (36) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
JC Radcliffe

From November 23, 1965, concentrates were introduced successively at two-week intervals to five treatment groups of grade Friesian cows that were being fed a basal ration of cereal hay in the paddock. The yield of milk, butterfat, solids-not-fat, and protein rose significantly as the supplements were introduced but almost no significant effect of concentrate feeding was observed on the weekly percentage composition tests of the milk. A comparison of the total covariance corrected yield results for the experimental period from November 23, 1965, to March 15, 1966, showed that the group of cows receiving concentrates throughout produced 30 per cent more milk, and 29 per cent more solids-not-fat, but only 24 per cent more protein and butterfat than the group receiving concentrates from January 18, 1966. However, the additional milk production would be uneconomic where milk is purchased on a butterfat basis.

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
I. Bencsik ◽  
N. Pacala ◽  
T. Theilen ◽  
Jana Stanculet ◽  
Alena Bencsik

In our study the behavior of dairy cows was studied during the first three months of lactation. The experiments were done on 25 cows raised in free-stalls on slatted floor in 25.5-31.5 m 2 boxes. In the experimental period the cows were fed grass, silage and hay. The concentrates were used for feeding during the milking time and the quantity depended on milk production of each cow. The dairy cows were monitored every 10 minutes in 24 hours period for several days. We have observed that the primiparous and secundiparous cows are resting 1-2 hours less than the older cows. The time needed to ingest the forages is longer at primiparous and secundiparous. During 24 hours, cows are spending 12-14 hours on rest, so it is necessary to build comfortable and spacious pens. Cows are spending 5-6 hours on feeding, so we must provide a larger feeding area for each cow.


1999 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. UNAL ◽  
P. C. GARNSWORTHY

Dry matter intake is one of the major factors limiting milk production in dairy cows, although the quantity of food consumed by an individual cow when housed and fed as part of a group is rarely known. Such information would permit more precise ration formulation, concentrate allocation and selection of cows according to efficiency of milk production. Alkanes have been used with sheep and cattle to estimate feed intake under grazing conditions and could provide a technique for measuring intake in housed dairy cows. The purpose of this study was to examine alkanes C32 and C36, in combination with alkane C33, as indigestible markers for estimating intake of housed dairy cows fed on different diets under experimental and commercial conditions. Three experiments were conducted with hay-based diets (Expt 1), silage only diets (Expt 2) and a diet consisting of a silage-based basal ration plus concentrates (Expt 3). Animals were dosed once daily with C32 and C36, either on filter papers (Expts 1 and 2) or as part of a specially prepared concentrate (Expt 3). Faecal recoveries of alkanes ranged from 0·88 to 0·99. Over the range of intakes found in the three experiments (6–24 kg DM/d), the r2 values for estimated versus actual dry matter intakes ranged from 0·81 to 0·99. It is concluded that alkanes could provide a useful technique for estimating intake in dairy cows housed and fed in groups.


Author(s):  
F.P. O'Mara ◽  
J.J. Murphy ◽  
M. Rath

Milk protein synthesis may be limited by amino acid (AA) flow to the duodenum. This can be increased by increasing the flow of microbial AA's or undegraded feed AA's. This experiment was carried out to determine the effect on milk production and nutrient flows at the duodenum of including fishmeal (120g/kg) in the supplement to grass silage at two levels of supplement feeding.The treatments, arranged in a 2x2 factorial, were 1.) 3.5 kg/day of 0% fishmeal supplement (L-UDP), 2.) 7 kg/day of L-UDP, 3.) 3.5 kg/day of 12% fishmeal supplement (H-UDP), and 4.) 7 kg/day of H-UDP. Supplements were fed to 3 6 Friesian cows in a 4x4 multiple Latin-square trial with three week periods to determine production responses, and to four ruminally and duodenally cannulated cows to determine rumen fermentation and nutrient flows. Flows were determined by the dual marker technique of Faichney (1975) using cobalt-EDTA and ytterbium acetate as liquid and solid phase markers respectively. Purines were used as the bacterial marker (Zinn and Owens, 1986). Degradability of the feeds was measured in 3 other cows using the small bag technique described by De Boer et al. (1987).


2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 337
Author(s):  
B. C. Granzin

Two experiments were undertaken to determine the effect of timing of protein supplementation on performance of grazing, lactating Holstein–Friesian cows fed maize silage and grain-based concentrate. In experiment 1, 36 cows were fed 0.8 kg DM/day of solvent-extracted cottonseed meal (CSM) either as 1 meal at 1200 hours with maize silage (CSM 1200) or at 1530 hours with concentrate (CSM 1530), or in 2 meals at 0600 and 1530 hours with concentrate (CSM 600 + 1530). In experiment 2, 36 cows were either fed no CSM (control) or fed 1.0 kg DM/day as either CSM 1200 or CSM 600 + 1530. In experiment 1, daily yields of 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM) and milk fat for CSM 600 + 1530 were significantly higher than for CSM 1530 with respective means of 22.8 v. 20.7 L and 895 v. 804 g. Daily yields of FCM and milk fat for CSM 1200 were intermediate (21.7 L and 841 g/cow, respectively). A similar trend for daily protein yield per cow was noted (712, 695 and 666 g for CSM 600 + 1530, 1200 and 1530, respectively). In experiment 2, milk yield differed numerically between CSM 600 + 1530 and other treatments, with means (± s.e.d.) of 24.7 ± 0.78, 22.9 ± 0.78 and 22.9 ± 0.78 L/cow.day for CSM 600 + 1530, CSM 1200 and control, respectively. Mean (± s.e.d.) net energy requirements for milk production and liveweight change tended to be lower for the control (68 ± 3.6 MJ/cow.day) as opposed to CSM 600 + 1530 (79 ± 3.6 MJ/cow.day) and CSM 1200 (76 ± 3.6 MJ/cow.day). Cumulative time where rumen degradable nitrogen:rumen degradable dry matter was less than 22 g/kg were 2, 2 and 3 h for CSM 600 + 1530, CSM 1200 and CSM 1530, respectively, in experiment 1, and 6, 4 and 2 h for the control, 1200 and CSM 600 + 1530, respectively, in experiment 2. No differences in rumen ammonia-N concentrations were noted between treatments in experiment 1. In experiment 2, a significantly lower mean (± s.e.d.) rumen ammonia-N concentration was recorded for the control at 1530 hours (62 ± 14.1 mg/dL) in comparison to CSM 600 + 1530 (114 ± 14.1 mg/dL) and CSM 1200 (119 ± 14.1 mg/dL). These experiments show that for grazing dairy cows supplemented with maize silage and grain-based concentrate, feeding a daily aliquot of CSM as 2 meals at 0600 and 1530 hours rather than 1 meal at 1200 or 1530 hours improves milk production.


1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 4-4
Author(s):  
J D Sutton ◽  
A L Abdalla ◽  
R H Phipps ◽  
S B Cammell ◽  
D J Humphries

Whole crop wheat (WCW) appears to offer an attractive alternative forage to grass silage for dairy cows, particularly in those areas where maize silage cannot be grown. However in previous feeding trials the inclusion of WCW with grass silage has increased food intake but has not led to a corresponding increase in milk yield (Phipps et al,1993). As part of a programme to try to overcome the low efficiency of diets containing WCW, the present experiment was designed to examine the effects on feed intake and digestibility and milk production of the step-wise replacement of GS by urea-treated WCW.Winter wheat (cv Hussar), harvested at 620g DM/kg fresh weight and preserved with 20 or 40 g urea/kg DM (WCW-2, WCW-4) was compared with first-cut perennial ryegrass silage (GS). Six multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows in mid-lactation were offered six diets over three 4-week periods in an incomplete change-over design. Diets were 6kg DM concentrates daily with forages ad lib. Treatments (DM basis) were GS alone, 2:1 GS:WCW-2 or WCW-4, 1:2 GS: WCW-2 or WCW-4, and WCW-4 alone. Feed intake and milk production were measured in weeks 3 and 4 and digestibility in week 4.


1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 565-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. HIRONAKA ◽  
G. C. KOZUB ◽  
S. B. SLEN

Forty Holstein–Friesian cows were fed concentrate at one of five levels (0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30, or 0.35 kg concentrate/kg milk produced) and alfalfa hay to appetite. In a 280-day lactation period with twice-a-day milking, average milk production was 19.9 kg/day and increased 0.150 kg/0.01-kg increase of concentrate per kilogram of milk produced (P < 0.05). The rate of change in milk production, feed intake, and milk constituents was not affected by the breed–class–average (BCA) index of the cows over the BCA range studied. For each 0.01-kg increase in concentrate per kilogram of milk produced, daily increase in production of solids-not-fat was 0.0138 kg and of protein was 0.0052 kg (P < 0.05). Total energy secreted in milk increased, but not significantly, as the level of concentrate feeding increased. However, the proportion of energy consumed that was secreted in the milk declined from 26.8 to 23.5% (P < 0.10) as the level of concentrate feeding was increased.


1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 379 ◽  
Author(s):  
BA Hamilton ◽  
JR Ashes ◽  
AW Carmichael

Forty-five Friesian cows grazing kikuyu pastures in the first 3 months of lactation were fed pasture alone or pasture supplemented with cracked barley or cracked barley mixed with sunflower meal untreated or treated with 0.5 or 0.7% formaldehyde. All supplements were isoenergetic and differed only in the level of formaldehyde treatment of the protein meal. The experimental rations were given for 8 weeks. The milk production of cows fed sunflower meal treated with 0.5% formaldehyde was significantly higher (P.< 0.05) than that of cows fed either barley or untreated sunflower meal and it was suggested that the level of formaldehyde added to protein meals may be important for optimum responses. The feeding of untreated sunflower meal did not significantly increase the protein content of milk above that of the pasture-fed control group. The feeding of barley and sunflower meal treated with both levels of formaldehyde significantly increased the protein content of milk above that of controls (P.< 0.05). The fat content of milk from cows receiving supplements did not differ significantly between treatment groups, but all were significantly lower than from cows in the control group fed pasture (P.< 0.05). All supplemented groups gained weight over the period of the experiment whereas the pasture-fed control group lost weight. Pasture intake of individual cows was estimated with controlled release chromic oxide capsules. The rate of substitution of pasture by supplement was 0-16 kg/kg concentrate eaten and this is below the rates observed for cows grazing temperate pastures.


2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 304 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. O. Williams ◽  
P. J. Moate ◽  
M. H. Deighton ◽  
M. C. Hannah ◽  
W. J. Wales ◽  
...  

Forage brassica and chicory crops provide an alternative to perennial grass pastures as a forage supply for grazing dairy cows during summer, but there is little information about their effects on milk production and methane (CH4) emissions. Thirty-two Holstein–Friesian cows were fed for 10 days on a diet of lucerne cubes (750 g/kg DM) and grain (250 g/kg DM) (CON) or diets in which forage brassica (410 g/kg DM, FBR) or reproductive-stage chicory (410 g/kg DM, RCH) were offered with lucerne cubes (340 g/kg DM) and grain (250 g/kg DM). Cows offered the FBR diet produced more energy-corrected milk (25.4 kg/day) than did cows offered the CON diet (22.7 kg/day, P = 0.001), even though DM intake was not different for cows between the two groups (20.6 kg/day on average). In contrast, cows offered the RCH diet produced less energy-corrected milk (19.3 kg/day) than did cows in the other two groups (P = 0.001), reflecting the lower DM intake by cows offered the RCH diet (17.7 kg/day, P < 0.01). Methane yield (g CH4/kg DMI) was lower (P < 0.01) on the CON (21.0) and FBR (20.5) diets than on the RCH diet (26.1). Methane intensity (g/kg energy-corrected milk) was different (P < 0.01) for all diets, with CON (19.4) being intermediate, FBR (17.3) lowest and RCH (23.8) the greatest. Diet type was associated with differences in the proportions of only a small number of specific milk fatty acids, and differences in proportions of specific fatty acids were not related to CH4 emissions.


Author(s):  
J.D Sutton ◽  
K. Aston ◽  
D.E Beever ◽  
W.J. Fisher

The importance of measuring partition between body and milk in dairy cows and identifying the factors underlying it has long been recognised. However accurate measurements of partition In the body are few because of the difficulty and expense of the techniques.The purpose of the present experiment was to measure the effects in autumn-calving Holstein-Friesian cows given grass silage ad libitum of amount of concentrate and stage of lactation on body composition by direct (Gibb et al 1992a, b) and Indirect (Kings et al 1992) techniques, adipose tissue metabolism (Walsh et al 1992) and milk production. In a related trial, energy balance was measured in other cows by Indirect calorimetry (Cammell et al 1992).This report covers silage Intake, milk production and live-weight change. Communications on the associated studies are given in the Proceedings of this Meeting.


1932 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank H. Garner

1. After a preliminary trial with Shorthorn cows in Berkshire, some 461 Friesians were measured in Minnesota, U.S.A., and an attempt was made to correlate 19 measurements with milk yields.2. Significant coefficients of correlations were obtained for:Length from withers to hooks and milk yields;Height at hooks and milk yield; Height at pins and milk yield;Circumference of chest and milk yield;Circumference of barrel and milk yield;Area of milk wells and milk yield.3. Correlation coefficients that were almost significant were obtained for:Width at barrel and milk yield;Width at hooks and milk yield.4. The best producing cows had the largest milk wells. This was not because they were the biggest cows, for there was practically no loss of coefficient of correlation for milk yield and size of milk wells when the partial correlation for area of milk wells and yield was calculated with height at hooks held constant.5. Evidence is presented which shows that the areas of milk wells do not increase with mere skeletal growth of cows over 4½ years old, but with increased milk production. This fact makes the area of milk wells a still more reliable indicator of milk-producing power.6. The results obtained confirm the value of some of the points which stockmen have considered in judging dairy cows. They emphasise the necessity for considering all the points together, but indicate that certain points deserve special consideration.


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