Short-term effects of herbage allowance on milk production, milk composition and grazing time of cows grazing nitrogen-fertilized tropical grass pasture

1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (89) ◽  
pp. 892 ◽  
Author(s):  
TH Stobbs

The short-term effects of varying the quantities of herbage allocated (15, 25, 35, 55 kg DM cow-1, day-1) to lactating Jersey cows strip grazing 3-week regrowths of nitrogen-fertilized Panicum maximum cv. Gatton panic pastures, upon the diet selected, milk production, milk and milk fat composition and grazing time, were measured. Sixteen cows were used in a latin-square design with experimental periods of 1 4 days. With increasing herbage allowance milk yields rose, averaging 8.9, 9.9, 10.4 and 10.6 kg milk cow-1, day-1 respectively. A lower solids-not-fat percentage in milk from cows receiving 15 kg DM cow-1, day-1 and a lower percentage protein from cows receiving 15 and 25 kg DM cow-1 day-1 indicated a lower intake of digestible energy by cows at these lower herbage allowances. Molar percentages of short-chain fatty acids in milkfat (C6, C8, C10, C14) increased linearly and oleic acid (C18:1) decreased linearly as herbage allowance increased, showing that a higher proportion of the milk fat was coming from energy in the feed and a smaller proportion from body reserves. Cows selectively grazed leaf from the uppermost layers of the swards. As herbage allowance was restricted, a higher proportion of pasture was eaten and this came mainly from pasture growing 10 cm or more above ground level. Total time spent grazing was similar for all herbage allowances but the proportion of night grazing was consistently lower at the higher intensities of grazing.

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 919
Author(s):  
Verónica M. Merino ◽  
Lorena Leichtle ◽  
Oscar A. Balocchi ◽  
Francisco Lanuza ◽  
Julián Parga ◽  
...  

The aim was to determine the effect of the herbage allowance (HA) and supplement type (ST) on dry matter intake (DMI), milk production and composition, grazing behavior, rumen function, and blood metabolites of grazing dairy cows in the spring season. Experiment I: 64 Holstein Friesian dairy cows were distributed in a factorial design that tested two levels of daily HA (20 and 30 kg of dry matter (DM) per cow) and two ST (high moisture maize (HMM) and cracked wheat (CW)) distributed in two daily rations (3.5 kg DM/cow/day). Experiment II: four mid-lactation rumen cannulated cows, supplemented with either HMM or CW and managed with the two HAs, were distributed in a Latin square design of 4 × 4, for four 14-d periods to assess ruminal fermentation parameters. HA had no effect on milk production (averaging 23.6 kg/day) or milk fat and protein production (823 g/day and 800 g/day, respectively). Cows supplemented with CW had greater protein concentration (+1.2 g/kg). Herbage DMI averaged 14.17 kg DM/cow.day and total DMI averaged 17.67 kg DM/cow.day and did not differ between treatments. Grazing behavior activities (grazing, rumination, and idling times) and body condition score (BCS) were not affected by HA or ST. Milk and plasma urea concentration increased under the high HA (+0.68 mmol/L and +0.90 mmol/L, respectively). Cows supplemented with HMM had lower milk and plasma urea concentrations (0.72 mmol/L and 0.76 mmol/L less, respectively) and tended (p = 0.054) to have higher plasma β-hydroxybutyrate. Ruminal parameters did not differ between treatments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 228-228
Author(s):  
Keiffer Sexton ◽  
Megan Myerscough ◽  
Wesley Chapple ◽  
William T Meteer ◽  
Keela Trennepohl ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective was to evaluate the effects of maintaining cows in drylots vs pasture on beef cow performance. Spring-calving, Simmental × Angus cows (n = 108; 84 ± 11 d postpartum) were stratified by age, BW, BCS, calving date, and sex of calves and allotted to 6 groups. Groups were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments for 110 d: drylot (DL) or pasture (PAST). Drylot cows were limit-fed a ration consisting of corn silage, dried distillers grains, hay, corn stalks, corn, and soybean hulls to meet protein and energy requirements. Cows on pasture were rotationally grazed and offered free-choice mineral. On d 0, cows were artificially inseminated (AI). On d 0, 53, and 110 (weaning), cow BW and BCS were measured. On d 54 milk production was estimated using the weigh-suckle-weigh technique. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. All binary data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. On d 0 and 53, cow BW did not differ (P ≥ 0.73) between DL and PAST. On d 110, DL cows had 74 kg greater (P < 0.01) BW than PAST cows. The BCS did not differ (P ≥ 0.66) between treatments. There was no difference in milk production (P = 0.93); however, drylot cows tended (P = 0.10) to have reduced milk fat percentage and had reduced (P < 0.01) milk urea nitrogen. There was no difference (P ≥ 0.34) in AI or overall pregnancy rates between treatments. There was no difference in foot angle or claw set (P ≥ 0.17) of cows at any time point. There was also no difference (P = 0.17) in foot treatments between DL (39%) and PAST (4%). Housing cows in drylots compared to pasture increased BW, but did not affect BCS, milk production, and pregnancy rates.


1982 ◽  
Vol 22 (115) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Grainger ◽  
GD Wilhelms ◽  
AA McGowan

Two experiments were carried out to measure effects of body condition at calving and different levels of feeding after calving on milk and subsequent reproduction.In experiment 1, which was conducted in two consecutive years, 162 cows (77 in year 1 and 85 in year 2) were group feed so as to reach a target body condition (condition scores ranging from 3-6) four weeks before calving. During the last four weeks before calving, all cows were managed so as to maintain their individual condition scores. At calving, cows in similar condition of similar breed and with similar previous milk production were allocated to high and low levels of feeding at pasture for the first five weeks of lactation. Mean pasture intakes were 13.0 and 7.0kg dry matter (DM)/cow.d in year 1 and 15.0 and 8.5 kg DM/cow.d in year 2In experiment 2, 40 cows were offered pasture and hay from 20 weeks before calving to achieve a body condition score of either 4 or 6 by two weeks before calving. During the first five weeks of lactation, cows were individually fed in stalls on freshly cut pasture at one of three levels of intake, 7 or 10 kg DM/cow.d or .In both experiments cows were grazed as one group from week 6 to 20 of lactation.Improved body condition at calving resulted in an extra 4.0, 11.0 and 7.4 kg milk fat per unit condition score over 20 weeks of lactation, for year 1 and 2 of experiment 1, and experiment 2, respectively. Cows in poorer condition partitioned a higher proportion of feed energy to liveweight at the expense of milk production than did the cows in better condition. However, increasing the plane of nutrition in early lactation resulted in higher levels of milk production and reduced the need for cows to mobilize bodyreserves. Improved body condition at calving had a positive effect on milk fat percentage, particularly in early lactation, but did not affect milk protein percentage. Input-output relations calculated from the experimental data showed that the benefit sf to improve body condition before calving was less than that of additional feeding after calvin changes in the condition of the cows were taken into consideration (25.8 vs 1 4.6 kg DM to yi kilogram of milkfat). Improvements in condition and feeding in early lactation reduced the anoestrus interval after calving by 5.7 d for each additional condition score at calving and 1. d for each additional kgDM/cow.d fed over weeks 1-5 of lactation. The input-output relations resented will enable farmers to assess the likely consequenes of changes in their feeding management in the crucial peripartum period with a greater degree of confidence than in the past.


1977 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. R. SHARMA ◽  
J. R. INGALLS ◽  
J. A. MCKIRDY

In experiment 1, 12 cows were used to compare the two (0–0) rapeseed meal (1788 and Tower) varieties with the commercial rapeseed meal (CRSM) and soybean meal (SBM). Feed intake, milk yield and fat content were not different (P > 0.05) among the four treatments; however, protein content was higher (P < 0.05) for the cows fed CRSM and SBM diets than for those fed the 1788–RSM diet. But more (P < 0.05) milk fat was produced by the cows fed 1788–RSM than by those fed CRSM and SBM diets. In experiment 2, eight cows were used to determine the effects of replacing SBM with Tower and also replacing a portion of Tower with urea (TU) in a mixed or extruded (TUE) form on feed intake, milk yield and nitrogen (N) retention. No differences were observed in feed consumption, milk yield or composition among the treatments. Serum thyroxine (T4) level was higher (P < 0.05) for the cows fed SBM than for those fed the 1788–SBM and was similar to levels for cows fed CRSM and Tower in the first experiment. However, no differences were found in thyroxine level in the second experiment. Extrusion of Tower–urea mixture increased (P < 0.05) the N retention compared with other treatments. These short-term studies suggest that up to 25% Tower RSM can be used in dairy rations without adverse effect on performance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 1489
Author(s):  
Raquel Ornelas Marques ◽  
Heraldo Cesar Gonçalves ◽  
Paulo Roberto De Lima Meirelles ◽  
Gil Ignacio Lara Cañizares ◽  
Giuliana Micai de Oliveira ◽  
...  

Sixty goats (20 Alpine, 18 Anglo-Nubian, and 22 crossbred Boer), with average body weight 49.33 ± 1.41 kg, were raised on Panicum maximum cv. Tobiatã pasture with two different levels of concentrate supplementation, 300 (SL30) and 600 g kg-1 (SL60) of the daily requirements, and evaluated from the pre-mating season until an average of 110 days of lactation. Milk controls were performed every 14 days. The following milk production curve parameters were estimated: time to reach peak milk production (TP), peak milk production (PP) and milk production during the first 110 days of lactation (MP). The following milk components were determined: fat, protein, lactose, total solids (TS), defatted dry extract (DDE), urea nitrogen (UN) concentrations, and somatic cell count (SCC). Goat prolificacy and birth weight of the kids were also determined. Breed affected the lactation curve, with Alpine and Anglo- Nubian goats presenting higher TP, PP, and MP. Protein, TS, and DDE concentrations were also affected by breed, being higher for crossbred Boer goats. Milk fat, lactose concentrations, and the log of SCC were affected by the concentrate supplementation level, being higher for SL30, as well as by the breed, with crossbred Boer goats presenting higher fat concentrations and log of SCC, and crossbred Boer and Alpine goats presenting higher lactose concentrations. UN was affected by the stage of lactation. Prolificacy and birth weight were affected by breed and concentrate supplementation level, being higher for Anglo-Nubian and crossbred Boer goats with SL60. Kids from single births presented higher birth weights. The Anglo-Nubian breed presented good milk production and the best body condition, which might indicate the effectiveness of this production system, SL60 supplementation resulted in higher birth weight and prolificacy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 1037-1046
Author(s):  
M.F. Miguel ◽  
R. Delagarde ◽  
H.M.N. Ribeiro-Filho

ABSTRACT Corn silage supplementation for dairy cows grazing in temperate annual pastures has rarely been investigated. The aim of this study is to compare two supplementation levels (0 and 4kg dry matter [DM]/day of a 7:1 mixture of corn silage and soybean meal) in dairy cows strip-grazing annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) at two pasture allowances (PA, low= 25 and high = 40kg DM/d at ground level). The study was carried out according to an incomplete 4 × 3 Latin square design, using 12 cows and three experimental periods of 12 days. The green leaves allowances were only 4.9 and 8.5kg DM/d at the low and high PA, respectively. The total DM intake and milk production increased in supplemented cows compared to un-supplemented cows at the low PA, but were similar between supplementation levels at the high PA. The PI was unaffected by the PA, whereas the substitution rate was 0.68 in cows at the low PA and 1.35 in cows at the high PA. Corn silage supplementation may improve the total DM intake and milk production of dairy cows grazing in temperate annual pastures, but only at a low PA.


1985 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. C. Hart ◽  
P. M. E. Chadwick ◽  
S. James ◽  
A. D. Simmonds

ABSTRACT Although it is well known that exogenous bovine GH (bGH) increases milk yield in ruminants it has not been possible to determine whether an increase in endogenous GH secretion has the same effect. The recent isolation of human pancreatic GH-releasing factor (hpGRF-44) has enabled this comparison of the effects of bGH and hpGRF-44 on milk production in sheep. Three pairs of Dorset ewes underwent three 4-day treatments according to a Latin square design. Treatment 1 involved: 2-hourly i.v. injections (∼ 3·0 ml) of bGH (15 μg/kg; 1·8 units/mg); treatment 2: 2-hourly i.v. injections (∼3·0 ml) of hpGRF-44 (0·6 μg/kg); treatment 3: 2-hourly i.v. injections (3·0 ml) of the vehicle. Treatment periods were separated by 10 days. Sheep were milked twice daily and the milk was analysed for fat, protein and lactose. Blood samples (5·0 ml) were taken before and at 15, 45, 75 and 100 min after every third injection throughout the 4 days. Plasma was analysed for insulin, glucose, urea and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). The changes in plasma GH stimulated by hpGRF-44 were consistent and repeatable throughout the 4 days of treatment. In comparison to the controls, treatment with hpGRF-44 and bGH significantly increased average plasma GH (μg/l) for the 4 days (control, 5·7±0·2 (s.e.m.); hpGRF-44, 12·3±0·4, P<0·001; bGH, 14·5±0·5, P<0·001), and this was accompanied by similar increases in milk yield (hpGRF-44, 26·7±2·6%, P<0·001; bGH, 30·7±2·9%, P<0·001) and the concentration of milk fat (g/kg) (control, 28·6±0·5; hpGRF-44, 33·2±0·5; bGH 34·8±1·5, P<0·01 for both treatments). The post-treatment decline in milk yield was much slower after hpGRF-44 than after bGH injections. Both treatments stimulated significant increases in the average concentrations of plasma insulin, glucose and NEFA, and plasma urea was significantly reduced by treatment with bGH only. It is concluded that raising endogenous GH secretion is equally as effective as exogenous bGH in stimulating milk production in sheep. J. Endocr. (1985) 105, 189–196


1978 ◽  
Vol 18 (90) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
TH Stobbs

Milk production, milk composition, rate of milking and grazing behaviour were measured for lactating Jersey cows having both the first opportunity to graze (leaders) and also when offered the remaining herbage (followers) from 3-week regrowths of two nitrogen-fertilized tropical pastures, Rhodes grass (Choris gayana cv. Pioneer) and Gatton panic (Panicum maximum cv. Gatton). Twenty-four cows were used in a latin-square design with experimental periods of 14 days. Both leaders and followers were allocated 40 kg DM cow-1 day-1. Leader cows produced 8.0 kg milk cow-1 day-1 compared with 5.8 kg milk cow-1 day-1 for followers, a difference of 38 per cent. Both leader and follower cows grazing Gatton panic produced more milk than cows grazing Rhodes grass. Milk from leader cows contained a higher percentage of solids-not-fat and protein and a lower butterfat percentage indicating a higher intake of digestible nutrients. Cows showed a preference for leaf, and after easily accessible leaf was removed by leader cows the follower cows had a small bite size. Follower cows partially compensated by increasing grazing time, mainly at night. Follower cows had a longer let-down time and a longer milking time per kilogram of milk produced. Milk production was linearly related to bite size and availability and accessibility of leaf were considered to be the main factors influencing production.


Author(s):  
V. Pattarajinda ◽  
B. Nha

This experiment aimed to determine the effectiveness of physically effective neutral detergent fibre as peNDF1.18 mm and the moisture levels of fermented total mixed rations (FTMR) in lactating cow performance. Eight crossbred Holstein cows with 430±17.1 kg BW in mid-lactation were used in a 4 × 4 replicated Latin square design (LSD). The treatments consisted of 20 and 25% physically effective neutral detergent fibre (peNDF) and 30 and 60% moisture contents. The results showed that DMI, and DMI of %BW0.75 were increased in 20 and 25% of peNDF with 30% moisture content. CP, EE, NDF, ADF and NFC digestibility was increased on 25% peNDF with 60% moisture content in FTMR. Acetate was increased in 25% peNDF (P less than 0.05), but propionate was higher in 20% peNDF compared to 25% peNDF. Milk fat percentage was increased in 25% peNDF. No differences were observed in blood glucose and BUN. Consequently, 20 and 25% peNDF1.18 mm with 60% moisture content in FTMR were the optimum levels for lactating cows.


1953 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. B. Taylor ◽  
P. J. Armstrong

Records for milk, fat, solids-not-fat and fat percentage over forty-eight complete lactations were used as uniformity data to determine the relative efficiencies of a variety of experimental designs used in dairy husbandry experiments.In general, it was found that:1. Experiments conducted during the earlier part of the lactation are more efficient than those conducted during the later part.2. Three-weekly periods are generally more efficient than 5-weekly periods.3. If 3-weekly periods are used, then extending the time of the experiment over four such periods instead of three reduces the error. The converse is the case with 5-weekly periods since the experiment is carried over into the highly variable later part of the lactation.4. Grouping the animals according to the yields recorded during the first 40 days of lactation does not appear to reduce the error.An analysis of covariance using the pro-experimental records of the performance of the animals has been carried out on ordinary group trials and it is hoped to publish the results at a later date, but investigations on the data have shown that both reversal and Latin square designs are more efficient than ordinary group trials even when such an analysis is performed.


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