Use of whole cotton seed as a dietary supplement for grazing dairy cows

In a 2-part preliminary experiment, groups of 6 and 9 Holstein-Friesian cows in early t o mid lactation were unsupplemented or supplemented with either 3 kg cracked sorghum grain or 3 kg whole cotton seed on a base pasture of irrigated pangola grass for 12 weeks or oats for 12 weeks. The stocking rate was 5 cows/ha. Supplementation did not affect milk yield or composition. In a second experiment a group of 20 Holstein- Friesian cows in early to mid lactation grazed on a base pasture of subterranean clover at a stocking rate of 4 or 6 cows/ha a n d w e r e either unsupplemented or supplemented with 3 kg of whole cotton seed (WCS) over 12 weeks. Milk yield averaged 20.3 kg/cow.day and there were no significant effects on milk yield or composition. We suggest the lack of a significant milk yield response was due to a high substitution rate of WCS for pasture, associated with an oil content in the diet of 7.1 % of dry matter.

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Nitrogen-fertilised grass in a subtropical dairy system 3. Effect of stocking rate on the response to nitrogen fertiliser

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9950145 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 145 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

RT Cowan ◽

KF Lowe ◽

PC Upton ◽

TM Bowdler

Keyword(s):

Milk Yield ◽

Ground Surface ◽

Yield Response ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Rhodes Grass ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Chloris Gayana ◽

Low Efficiency ◽

Stocking Rates ◽

Friesian Cows

Two stocking rates, one as practised on farms (2 cows/ha) and the other 50% higher, were assessed for effect on pasture and milk yield response to applied nitrogen (N) fertiliser (0-600 kg N/ha. year) for Holstein-~Friesian cows grazing Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) cv. Callide pastures. Pastures were grazed in combination with grazing oats for winter, with overall farm stocking rates of 1.17 and 1.37 cows/ha for ' the 2 treatments. Cows were maintained on these areas for 3 years. Cracked grain was given at 0.8 t/cow. year, and hay or silage supplements were given when green grass yield was <0.5 t dry matter (DM)/ha. The incremental response (P<0.05) in milk yield to each kg increase in level of applied N was 4.93 kg/ha at 1.17 cows/ha and 1.64 kg/ha at 1.37 cows/ha. The amount of conserved forage fed at the high stocking rate increased (530 and 970 kg/ha. year at 1.17 and 1.37 cows/ha), and financial margins over costs were reduced at the high stocking rate. The low milk response at the high stocking rate was associated with a low response in pasture growth. At <2 t pasture DM/ha on offer, incremental response to applied N declined, and there may have been an excessive loss of N through volatilisation in heavily grazed pastures. Milk yield per cow was closely related to total pasture yield on offer (P<0.01), and to leaf and stem yields (P<0.05). Relationships were stronger in summer and autumn than in spring. Over the full year, milk yield increased by 1.24 kg/kg leaf DM or 0.24 kg/kg total pasture DM on offer. At the higher stocking rate, surface soil (0-10 cm) concentrations of phosphorus and nitrate were higher than at the lower stocking rate. We conclude that in areas of moderate rainfall (<1000 mm/year) in the subtropics, high stocking rates resulting in low pasture yields and exposed ground surface will be associated with low efficiency of use of applied N.

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Comparison of yield, composition and quality of milk of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows in conventional and automatic milking systems

Annals of Animal Science ◽

10.2478/aoas-2020-0101 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Magdalena Kolenda ◽

Dariusz Piwczyński ◽

Marcin Brzozowski ◽

Beata Sitkowska ◽

Piotr Wójcik

Keyword(s):

Milk Yield ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Fat Content ◽

Urea Content ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Automatic Milking ◽

Automatic Milking Systems ◽

Quality Of Milk ◽

L1 And L2 ◽

Friesian Cows

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes in selected production and functional traits of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows after switching from a conventional (CMS) to an automatic milking system (AMS). The study consisted of 3398 Polish Holstein- Friesian dairy cows, from 16 herds in which CMS was changed to AMS. Cows were in their 1st (L1) or 2nd lactation (L2). The data consisted of milk yield [MY, kg], fat content [FC, %], protein content [PC, %], dry matter [DM, %], lactose content [LC, %], urea content [MU, mg/l], somatic cell count [SCC, thous./ml] and score [SCS, log]. The milking system had a significant impact on milk yield, fat, lactose, dry matter and urea contents. Regardless of lactation number, milk derived from CMS was characterised by higher values for FC, PC, DM SCC and SCS, while milk from AMS had higher MY, LC and MU. Multifactor analysis of variance also confirmed significant effect of herd, season, herd × milking system interaction on SCS in milk of cows in L1. In the studied herds change from CMS to AMS was evaluated separately for cows in L1 and L2. The transitioning from CMS to AMS resulted in the decrease of fat content in 6 L1 and 7 L2 herds, dry matter in 8 L1 and 5 L2 herds. SCS in milk also decreased in 4 L1 and 5 L2 herds. The change caused the increase of MY in 11 L1 and 9 L2 herds, lactose content in 6 L1 and 4 L2 herds and urea content in 9 L1 and 10 L2 herds. AMS may positively affect milk yield and health status, however, the change of milking system should be also accompanied by the change in herd management.

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Production and composition of milk by dairy cows fed common vetch or lupin grain as protein supplements to a silage and pasture-based diet in early lactation

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9960633 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 36 (6) ◽

pp. 633 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

SC Valentine ◽

BD Bartsch

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Subterranean Clover ◽

Early Lactation ◽

Common Vetch ◽

Protein Supplements ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Clover Pasture ◽

Friesian Cows

Milk production and composition were measured for 49 days in early lactation in 40 Holstein-Friesian cows fed 8 kg/day (fresh weight) of 1:1 mixtures of either rolled barley-lupin grain (Lupinus angustifolius L. cv. Gungurru) or barley-common vetch grain (Vicia sativa L. cv. Blanche Fleur). All cows were fed 1 kg/day of a pelleted concentrate containing minerals and vitamins, and wilted perennial ryegrass-subterranean clover pasture silage was available ad libitum with restricted grazing of perennial ryegrass-subterranean clover pasture. Cows ate all of the barley-lupin grain and barley-vetch grain mixtures. Mean daily dry matter intakes of silage (kg/cow.day) were 9.9 and 9.8 for cows fed the barley-lupin grain and barley-vetch grain mixtures respectively. Estimated pasture DM intake was 3.0 kg/cow.day. Mean daily yields of milk (L), fat (kg) and protein (kg) were significantly (P<0.001) greater for cows fed the barley-lupin grain mixture (30.3, 1.30 and 0.92 respectively) than for those fed the barley-vetch grain mixture (27.7, 1.23 and 0.87 respectively). Cows fed the barley-vetch grain mixture gained 0.2 kg/day more liveweight than those fed the barley-lupin grain mixture. Although both common vetch grain and lupin grain were readily eaten by dairy cows, when fed as protein supplements to a high quality silage and pasture-based diet in early lactation, cows fed the vetch grain produced less milk and milk components. This may be related to the greater partitioning of nutrients to liveweight gain rather than to toxicity problems in the cows fed vetch grain.

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The combination of the n-alkanes and 13C techniques to estimate individual dry matter intakes of herbage and maize silage by grazing dairy cows

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859699007911 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 135 (1) ◽

pp. 47-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

S. C. GARCÍA ◽

C. W. HOLMES ◽

J. HODGSON ◽

A. MACDONALD

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Milk Yield ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Maize Silage ◽

Lactation Length ◽

Randomized Design ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Faecal Samples ◽

Daily Intakes ◽

Grazing Dairy Cows

Two studies were conducted at Massey University in 1998. Expt 1 investigated the combined use of n-alkanes and 13C techniques for the estimation of individual proportions and total intakes of herbage (H) and maize silage (MS) by dairy cows. Expt 2 measured the variation in the amount of MS consumed by individual cows fed as a group. In Expt 1, six dry Holstein–Friesian cows were kept indoors and fed a diet containing one of the following H[ratio ]MS ratios (dry matter basis)[ratio ]100[ratio ]0, 80[ratio ]20, 60[ratio ]40, 40[ratio ]60, 20[ratio ]80 or 10[ratio ]90 for 25 days. Cows were dosed with a slow-release capsule containing 8 g of dotriacontane (C32) and 8 g of hexatriacontane (C36). Intake estimates were based on individual faecal samples collected twice daily during two 5-day periods. In Expt 2 (grazing trial), 12 early-lactation cows were selected from a commercial herd of 48 autumn-calving cows and blocked into pairs according to milk yield, lactation length and lactation number in a complete block randomized design. Within each pair, cows were randomly assigned to two treatments: supplemented, S (4 kg MS DM per cow after the morning milking in feed troughs) or not supplemented, NS. Another eight cows were randomly selected from the rest of the herd to increase the number of individual estimations of H and MS intakes. Cows grazed perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture during the rest of the day. In Expt 1, H[ratio ]MS ratios were not accurately predicted by the odd-chained n-alkanes, but there was a strong linear relationship between the concentration of 13C in faeces and actual H: MS ratios in the diet. The 13C method was therefore combined with the n-alkanes, resulting in accurate estimations of H and MS intakes. In Expt 2, a large variation was observed among individual cows in their daily intakes of MS (range 0·94 to 5·09 kg DM per cow, coefficient of variation = 36%), but this variation in MS intake was not associated with milk yield (P > 0·05). The results indicate that the n-alkane and 13C techniques can be successfully combined to estimate the intake of MS and H of grazing cows supplemented as a group. Under the conditions of the present study, individual cows differ considerably in the amount of maize silage consumed per day, although the reasons for this are not clear.

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Milk production from cows grazing on tropical grass pastures. 2. Effects of stocking rate and level of nitrogen fertilizer on milk yield and pasture-milk yield relationships

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9850515 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 515 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

TM Davison ◽

RT Cowan ◽

RK Shepherd

Keyword(s):

Milk Production ◽

Milk Yield ◽

Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Fertilizer Application ◽

Panicum Maximum ◽

Research Station ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Tropical Grass ◽

Friesian Cows

The effects of stocking rate and rate of nitrogen fertilizer application on milk yield from a Gatton panic (Panicum maximum cv. Gatton) pasture were studied over 3 years at Kairi Research Station on the Atherton Tablelands. Thirty-two Friesian cows were used in a 4x2 factorial experiment with treatments 2.0,2.5,3.0 and 3.5 cows/ha, each at 200 and 400 kg N/ha.year. Fat-corrected milk (FCM) yield per cow decreased (P<0.05) with increasing stocking rate according to the equation (� s.e.): Y=3476-276 ( � 111) X (P<0.05), where Y is FCM yield per cow (kg), and X is the stocking rate (cows/ha). FCM yield per hectare increased linearly (Pt0.01) with increasing stocking rate in each year and was represented by the following equations ( � s.e.) for nitrogen applications of 200 and 400 kg/ha.year, respectively: Y = 1584 + 1967 (� 289) X Y = 2366 + 1967 (�289) X (P<0.01), and where Y is FCM yield per hectare (kg) and X is the stocking rate (cows/ha). Milk yield per cow and per hectare were significantly increased by the higher rate of fertilizer application (P<0.01) in year 3, but not in years 1 and 2. Mean FCM yields per cow across years were 2574 and 2858 kg from 200 kg N and 400 kg N pastures respectively (P<0.05). The pasture parameters which were most closely correlated with milk yield were green dry matter (GDM) on offer or its components, namely green leaf and green stem. The relations between FCM yield per cow and green dry matter on offer per cow and per hectare were represented by the equations ( � s.e.): Y = 2211 +0.43 (� 0.12) X1 (P<0.01), And Y= 1656 + 0.35 (�0.08) X2 (P<0.01), where Y is FCM yield per cow (kg/lactation), X1 is GDM per cow (kg) and X2 is GDM per hectare (kg). For this environment, it is concluded that a stocking rate of 2.5 cows/ha with 400 kg N/ ha.year can be safely employed to maintain cows on a pure grass pasture from the opening rains in summer until the end of winter.

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External validation of the GrazeIn model of pasture dry matter intake and milk yield prediction for cows managed at different calving dates and stocking rates

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.5424/sjar/2017154-10380 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. e0608

Author(s):

Ana I. Roca-Fernández ◽

Antonio González-Rodríguez

Keyword(s):

Milk Yield ◽

Dry Matter ◽

External Validation ◽

Dry Matter Intake ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Grazing System ◽

The Mean ◽

Using Data ◽

Stocking Rates ◽

Friesian Cows

The aim was to evaluate the prediction accuracy of pasture dry matter intake (PDMI) and milk yield (MY) predicted by the GrazeIn model using a database representing 124 PDMI measurements at paddock level and 2232 MY measurements at cow level. External validation of the model was conducted using data collected from a trial carried out with Holstein-Friesian cows (n=72) while grazed 28 paddocks and were managed in a 2×2 factorial design by considering two calving dates (CD), with different number of days in milk (DIM), early (E, 29 DIM) vs. middle (M, 167 DIM), and two stocking rates (SR), medium (M, 3.9 cows ha-1) vs. high (H, 4.8 cows ha-1), under a rotational grazing system. Cows were randomly assigned to four grazing scenarios (EM, EH, MM and MH). The mean observed PDMI of the total database was 14.2 kg DM cow-1 day-1 while GrazeIn predicted a mean PDMI for the database of 13.8 kg DM cow-1 day-1. The mean bias was −0.4 kg DM cow-1 day-1. GrazeIn predicted PDMI for the total database with a relative prediction error (RPE) of 10.0% at paddock level. The mean observed MY of the database was 23.2 kg cow-1 day-1 while GrazeIn predicted a MY for the database of 23.1 kg cow-1 day-1. The mean bias was –0.1 kg cow-1 day-1. GrazeIn predicted MY for the total database with a mean RPE of 17.3% at cow level. For the scenarios investigated, GrazeIn predicted PDMI and MY with a low level of error which made it a suitable tool for decision support systems.

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Supplementation of grazing dairy cows with a brewers grains/treated straw mixture

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) ◽

10.1017/s0308229600018274 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 1990 ◽

pp. 46-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J.D. Leaver ◽

R.C. Campling

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Crude Protein ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Barley Straw ◽

Severe Drought ◽

Grass Silage ◽

Metabolisable Energy ◽

Grazing Dairy Cows ◽

Similar Cost ◽

Friesian Cows

Supplementary feeding of grazing dairy cows is often uneconomic, and whilst supplementation with silage (buffer feeding) can be worthwhile, this often leads to a depletion of winter forage stores. In this study, a mixture of brewers grains and treated straw was used as a supplement. Offered as a 1:1 mixture in the dry matter (DM), it is a purchased substitute for grass silage, having a similar cost, and similar metabolisable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) contents. The high seasonality adjustments to milk price in mid-late season make supplementation potentially worthwhile.Experiments were carried out from April to September in 1988 and 1989, which had moderate and very low rainfall respectively. Each year 20 British Friesian cows which calved December to March (1988 experiment) and February-April (1989) were allocated at random to either treatment B or C. In B, the cows were offered a 1:1 mixture (DM basis) of brewers grains and NaOH treated chopped barley straw for 60 minutes after morning milking. In C, the cows received no supplement. Both groups were fed 1.0 kg/day of concentrates in the milking parlour. Due to the severe drought in 1989, concentrate feeding was increased to 5.0 kg/day for all cows during the last 4 weeks of the experiment. Also, urea-treated whole crop wheat was fed at a level of 2.5 kg DM/day during the last 7 days.

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The effect of space allowance and milk yield level on the performance and behaviour of dairy cattle housed in straw yards

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1752756200597609 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 1998 ◽

pp. 108-108

Author(s):

J. A. Fregonesi ◽

J.D. Leaver

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cattle ◽

Milk Yield ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Important Variable ◽

Early Lactation ◽

Ways Of Coping ◽

Yield Level ◽

Face Width ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Friesian Cows

Space allowance could be an important variable affecting production, health, reproductive performance and behaviour of dairy cattle. Also, high and low yielding cows may have different ways of coping with insufficient space allowance. The aim of this experiment was to study the influence of space allowance and milk yield level on the performance and behaviour of strawyard housed dairy cows.The experiment was carried out using 24 Holstein Friesian cows with two groups in early lactation of high (over 30 kg/day milk yield) and two groups in late lactation of low yield (under 25 kg/day milk yield). The groups were allocated to strawyard systems with low stocking density (bed area/cow = 9 m2; pen area/cow = 13.5 m2; feed face width/cow = 1.5 m) or high stocking density (bed area/cow = 4.5 m2; pen area/cow = 6.75 m2; feed face width/cow = 0.75m) conforming to a changeover design with two periods, each of four weeks. The cows were fed a total mixed ration ad libitum and 2kg/cow/day of concentrate in the milking parlour. All animals were milked twice daily.

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Milk yield and composition, feed intake and stocking rate of crossbread cows in tropical grasses managed in a rotational grazing system

Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia ◽

10.1590/s1516-35982010000700022 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 39 (7) ◽

pp. 1548-1557 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nelson Massaru Fukumoto ◽

Julio Cesar Damasceno ◽

Fermino Deresz ◽

Carlos Eugênio Martins ◽

Antônio Carlos Cóser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Milk Yield ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Experimental Period ◽

The Body ◽

Dry Matter Intake ◽

Panicum Maximum ◽

Stocking Rate ◽

Rotational Grazing ◽

Grazing System

The objective of this study was to evaluate milk yield and composition, dry matter intake, and stocking rate in pastures with tanzania grass (Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia), star grass (Cynodon nlemfuensis cv. Estrela-Africana), and marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu). The grasses were managed in a rotational grazing system with Holstein x Zebu crossbreed cows, with a 30-day resting period and three days of paddock occupation. The pastures were fertilized with 1,000 kg/ha/year using the 20:05:20 (NPK) formula, split in three applications during the rainy season. It was used a complete random block experimental design with three factors being studied and two replications. In the experiment, four cows/paddock were used and, when it was necessary, regulator animals were added in order to obtain a supply of 7% body weight green forage dry matter. The animals were individually fed concentrate at 2 kg/day during the experimental period. Milk yield did not differ among the three grasses, with values of 9.1; 9.1; and 8.7 kg/cow/day for pastures with tanzania grass, star grass and marandu grass, respectively. Similarly, grass did not affect milk chemical composition. Stocking rate was similar among the three grasses, with values of 4.6; 4.5 and 5.0 UA/ha for tanzania grass, star grass and marandu grass, respectively. The highest dry matter intake was observed for tanzania grass with 2.6% of the body weight while stargrass (2.3%) and marandu grass (2.4%) did not differ among each other. The highest dry matter intake on tanzania grass pasture was not reflected on milk yield per animal. Milk yield and composition and stocking rate are similar among the evaluated grasses.

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