Influence of season and stocking rate on pasture herbage availability and milk yield

1969 ◽  
Vol 92 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 15-26
Author(s):  
Teodoro M. Ruiz ◽  
Carlos Torres-Meléndez ◽  
David Sotomayor-Ramírez ◽  
Gustavo A. Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Nutrient Utilization ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
The Caribbean

This experiment evaluated the effect of season of the year and stocking rate (SR) on pasture availability to lactating dairy cows supplemented with concentrates. In study 1, herbage mass (HM) and pasture allowance (PA) were evaluated on a commercial dairy farm during the months of July to February. Regression analysis indicated a significant and quadratic negative relationship between time and HM (P < 0.05; R2  = 0.65) and a weaker linear relationship between time and PA (P < 0.05; R2 = 0.47). Herbage mass and PA were lower from October to February, when the climate is dryer and cooler in the Caribbean tropics. Pasture allowance declined from 48.7 (July to September) to 21.1 kg/cow (December to February). However, estimated pasture consumption increased from 6.4 to 8.1 kg of dry matter per cow over the same period. In a second study, the effect of SR on HM, PA and concentrate supplementation was evaluated on 12 farms. As expected, HM (P < 0.05; R2 = 0.31) and PA (P < 0.01; R2 equal 0.80) declined as SR increased. There was no significant relationship between SR and concentrate intake (Cl) or between Cl and milk yield. On most farms pasture herbage appeared to be underutilized because of relatively high levels of concentrate supplementation. Pasture management and supplementation strategies should be modified to account for seasonal variability of pasture yield and intake. This modification would improve nutrient utilization from pasture and would reduce the need for purchased feeds and ultimately ration costs.

Addressing on-farm management to enhance pasture productivity and persistence

2013 ◽  
pp. 241-244
Author(s):  
W.N. Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Operating Profit ◽  
The North ◽  
The Cost ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Attention To Detail

Following the 2007/08 drought, we experienced poor pasture production and persistence on our dairy farm in north Waikato, leading to decreased milksolids production and a greater reliance on bought-in feed. It is estimated that the cost of this to our farming operation was about $1300 per hectare per year in lost operating profit. While climate and black beetle were factors, they did not explain everything, and other factors were also involved. In the last 3 years we have changed our management strategies to better withstand dry summers, the catalyst for which was becoming the DairyNZ Pasture Improvement Focus Farm for the north Waikato. The major changes we made were to reduce stocking rate, actively manage pastures in summer to reduce over-grazing, and pay more attention to detail in our pasture renewal programme. To date the result has been a reduced need for pasture renewal, a lift in whole farm performance and increased profitability. Keywords: Focus farm, over-grazing, pasture management, pasture persistence, profitability

scholarly journals Predicting Daily Dry Matter Intake Using Feed Intake of First Two Hours after Feeding in Mid and Late Lactation Dairy Cows with Fed Ration Three Times Per Day

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Shulin Liang ◽  
Chaoqun Wu ◽  
Wenchao Peng ◽  
Jian-Xin Liu ◽  
Hui-Zeng Sun
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Prediction Equation ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Validation Dataset ◽  
Nutrient Requirements ◽  
Independent Dataset ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Proposed Model

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using the dry matter intake of first 2 h after feeding (DMI-2h), body weight (BW), and milk yield to estimate daily DMI in mid and late lactating dairy cows with fed ration three times per day. Our dataset included 2840 individual observations from 76 cows enrolled in two studies, of which 2259 observations served as development dataset (DDS) from 54 cows and 581 observations acted as the validation dataset (VDS) from 22 cows. The descriptive statistics of these variables were 26.0 ± 2.77 kg/day (mean ± standard deviation) of DMI, 14.9 ± 3.68 kg/day of DMI-2h, 35.0 ± 5.48 kg/day of milk yield, and 636 ± 82.6 kg/day of BW in DDS and 23.2 ± 4.72 kg/day of DMI, 12.6 ± 4.08 kg/day of DMI-2h, 30.4 ± 5.85 kg/day of milk yield, and 597 ± 63.7 kg/day of BW in VDS, respectively. A multiple regression analysis was conducted using the REG procedure of SAS to develop the forecasting models for DMI. The proposed prediction equation was: DMI (kg/day) = 8.499 + 0.2725 × DMI-2h (kg/day) + 0.2132 × Milk yield (kg/day) + 0.0095 × BW (kg/day) (R2 = 0.46, mean bias = 0 kg/day, RMSPE = 1.26 kg/day). Moreover, when compared with the prediction equation for DMI in Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle (2001) using the independent dataset (VDS), our proposed model shows higher R2 (0.22 vs. 0.07) and smaller mean bias (−0.10 vs. 1.52 kg/day) and RMSPE (1.77 vs. 2.34 kg/day). Overall, we constructed a feasible forecasting model with better precision and accuracy in predicting daily DMI of dairy cows in mid and late lactation when fed ration three times per day.

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

2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 1548-1557 ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Efficiency of pasture and supplement management in high producing dairy herds

2003 ◽  
pp. 105-110
Author(s):  
P.V. Salles ◽  
J. Hodgson ◽  
P.N.P. Matthews ◽  
C.W. Holmes ◽  
N.M. Shadbolt
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Animal Performance ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Feeding Management ◽  
Dairy Systems ◽  
Supplementary Feed

In 1998 a three-year dairy farm monitoring programme funded by AGMARDT (Agricultural Marketing and Research Development Trust) was established on twelve dairy farms in the southern North Island of New Zealand where policy had changed from a focus on high production per ha through high stocking rate to a management based on reduced stocking rate and strategic use of supplements to enhance both production per cow and per ha. The project involved a detailed three-year data collection which included measurements of the quantity and composition of pasture and supplements consumed as well as animal performance. Analysis of the results of the third year (2000/2001) on nine of these farms with complete data sets identified a range of metabolisable energy (ME) intake (50669 - 70135 MJ ME/cow/yr). Supplementary feed represented on average 24% (21 - 27 %) of the total intake of ME, the main supplements being pasture silage (summer to winter), turnips (summer) and maize silage (autumn and winter) consumed by lactating cows, and grazing off by dry stock. There was a range of milksolids (MS) production per cow (372 - 424 kg/year) and per hectare (921 - 1264 kg/year). The average economic farm surplus per hectare of NZ$3077 (NZ$2425 - NZ$3867) for the case-study farms was approximately 43% higher than the top 25% farms in the Manawatu region. Mean values of return on assets for the case-study farms (12.9%) and top 25% farms in Manawatu (13.0%) were similar. Good pasture management based on controlled preand post-grazing herbage mass targets (mean 2650 and 1900 kg DM/ha, respectively), strategic use of supplementary feed to control pasture deficits, and moderate stocking rates (overall mean 2.7 cows/ha), provided high allowances of high quality herbage (organic matter digestibility ranging from 742 to 845 g/kg DM) and maintained high levels of milk production (411 kg MS/cow and 1100kg MS/ha). The comparison with industry data showed that the casestudy farms were highly productive and profitable dairy systems, at least under the conditions of the 2000/2001 season. However, the result indicated the need to improve management skills to limit feed wastage under generous feeding management, and also the limitation of conventional procedures for monitoring pasture consumption in farming systems. Keywords: animal performance, dairy systems, energy intak e, herbage quality, pasture management, profitability

scholarly journals Dairy farm systems to aid persistence

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 199-209
Author(s):  
K.A. Macdonald ◽  
C. Matthew ◽  
C.B. Glassey ◽  
N. Mclean
Keyword(s):  
Insect Pests ◽  
Decision Rules ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
First Year ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Nitrogen Fertiliser ◽  
Feed Supplements ◽  
First Year Of Life ◽  
Introduced Weeds

This manuscript reviews fundamental pasture management principles relevant to pasture persistence. We first note some points of context, within which the debate on pasture persistence is occurring: the release of new pasture cultivars, the debate about climate change, and the effects of newly introduced weeds and pests. We then examine trends in farm practice. The critical management period (of most concern to farmers) has shifted from winter/autumn to summer. It is essential that farmers have and use sets of decision rules to govern when and how hard to graze, when to supplement and when to remove cows from pasture to allow pastures to be grazed appropriately to aid pasture persistence. Adaptations available to improve pasture persistence include: the use of nitrogen fertiliser to increase feed supply going into the summer, the use of crops or other feed supplements, stocking rate and on-off grazing to ensure the pastures are appropriately grazed in the summer. New pastures must be treated with care in their first year of life to ensure survival. The response of farmers to these variables to aid persistence of pastures is discussed. Keywords: climate, insect pests, pasture growth model, pasture renewal, weeds

The effect of ammoniated and roasted barley on rumen pH, milk yield and milk composition of lactating dairy cows

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 107-107
Author(s):  
M. H. Fathi ◽  
A. Nikkhah
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Metabolic Disorders ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Barley Grain ◽  
Nutrient Requirements ◽  
Rumen Ph ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows

Cereal grains can provide the major source of energy in diets in order to meet the nutrient requirements of high producing dairy cows. However the amount of starch that can be included in the diets of dairy cows is limited particularly if starch is rapidly fermented such as barley starch. Reduction of feed intake, rumen pH, milk fat test, microbial growth and other metabolic disorders are expected if ruminally degradable starch is fed in amount that cant be efficiently metabolized by rumen microbs. Various techniques for processing barley grain have been developed to decrease the degradability of dry matter in rumen without reducing its extent of digestion. McNiven (1995) showed roasting of barley is more effective treatment. The objective of this experiment was to study of effects the roasting and ammoniation of barley grain on rumen pH, feces pH, milk yield and milk composition in dairy cows.

scholarly journals THE PERFORMANCE OF DAIRY AND FEEDLOT CATTLE FED SULFUR DIOXIDE-TREATED HIGH-MOISTURE BARLEY

1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 471-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. GIBSON ◽  
J. J. KENNELLY ◽  
G. W. MATHISON
Keyword(s):  
Sulfur Dioxide ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Milk Composition ◽  
Feedlot Cattle ◽  
High Moisture ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Dietary Treatments ◽  
Daily Gain

Two experiments were conducted to determine the influence of feeding sulfur dioxide (SO2)-treated high-moisture barley (HMB) on the performance of lactating dairy cows and feedlot cattle. High-moisture barley was ensiled or treated with 1% (wt/wt) liquid SO2. In exp. 1, 36 lactating Holstein cows were assigned to three treatments for a 6-wk trial. Diets contained 35% rolled barley on a dry matter (DM) basis and differed only in the type of barley fed: dry barley, ensiled HMB or SO2-treated HMB. While no differences (P > 0.05) were observed in DM intake, milk yield, milk composition, milk taste or odour, cows fed SO2-treated HMB tended to have lower milk yield (21.7 kg d−1) than those fed ensiled (22.6 kg d−1) or dry barley (24.6 kg d−1). In experiment 2, 64 steers were allotted to four dietary treatments: (1) dry barley, (2) ensiled HMB, (3) SO2-treated HMB, and (4) SO2-treated HMB plus sodium bicarbonate. All diets contained 85% barley (DM) and were supplemented with thiamin (5.5 mg kg−1 DM). The results of the feedlot trial were confounded by the feeding of spoiled SO2-treated HMB, primarily between days 29 and 57 of the 96-d trial, at approximately 40% of the diet DM. During the period that spoiled SO2-treated grain was being fed, four steers (two from each treatment) developed polioencephalomalacia. Steers fed SO2-treated HMB (diets 3 and 4), had 10.1% lower DM intake (P < 0.01), 31% lower average daily gain and required 32% more DM per kilogram of gain than steers fed diets 1 or 2 (P < 0.001). Feeding SO2-treated HMB to either dairy or feedlot cattle cannot be recommended at the present time. Key words: Sulfur dioxide, preservative, barley, cattle (dairy, beef)

Effect of Body Condition at Calving and Dietary Energy Supply on Milk Yield, Milk Quality and Dry-Matter Intake in Lactating Cows

1988 ◽  
Vol 1988 ◽  
pp. 111-111
Author(s):  
G.P. Jones ◽  
P.C. Garnsworthy
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Dietary Energy ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Voluntary Feed Intake ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows

Recent work concluded that when lactating dairy cows are fed a relatively high energy diet (Garnsworthy and Jones, 1987), increasing the dietary undegradable protein (UDP) supply to those which are fat at calving leads to increased mobilisation of body fat reserves; however, increasing the UDP supply to those which are thin at calving results in reduction of voluntary feed intake, but does not affect the change in condition or milk yield. Little difference was found in yields of cows fat at calving receiving a relatively high UDP diet post calving, and cows thin at calving receiving a high or low UDP diet. Similar results were obtained with diets of lower energy and protein content (Jones and Garnsworthy, 1987). The investigation reported here aimed to examine the effect of body condition at calving on the response to energy level in the diet.

Resource Efficient Dairying trial: measurement criteria for farm systems over a range of resource use

2005 ◽  
pp. 47-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.N. Jensen ◽  
D.A. Clark ◽  
K.A. Macdonald
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Return On Assets ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Low Input ◽  
Land Prices ◽  
Management Processes

The aim of the Resource Efficient Dairying (RED) trial is to measure the productivity, economic and environmental effects of different feed inputs and management processes on a dairy farm. This is a longterm systems trial located at Scott Farm (Dexcel Research Farm) established on 1st June 2001 and expected to continue until 2006. Trial design was based on six systems that have an allowance of up to 200 kg nitrogen (N)/ha (excluding the low input treatment). They are: low input (no N fertiliser, heifers grazed-on and 2.3 cows/ha); control (3 cows/ha); standoff (3 cows/ha); low supplement input (5 t dry matter (DM) maize silage/ha, 3.8 cows/ha); moderate supplement input (10 t DM maize silage/ha; 5.2 cows/ha); and high supplement input (15 t DM maize silage + 5 t soymeal/ha; 6.9 cows/ha). The last two systems have irrigation available to boost pasture production. All systems were designed to operate at a common comparative stocking rate (CSR) of 85 kg liveweight (LW)/t DM. Two seasons' data have shown that increasing the stocking rate (SR) by 1.5 cows/ha from 3.8 to 5.3 cows/ha, plus extra feed, increased output by 90 and 184 kg milksolids (MS)/total ha in the two years, when the extra area required to supply the extra feed is included in the calculation of kg MS/ha. However the further increase to 6.9 cows/ha plus extra feed produced less MS/total ha than the system stocked at 3.8 cows/ha. Calculations of economic farm surplus (EFS) and return on assets (ROA) reveal that when the payout is $3.50/kg MS the low input system is competitive irrespective of land price ($18000 or $37000/ha) or supplement cost (18 c or 24 c/kg DM). Conversely at a higher payout of $4.50/kg MS the treatment supplemented with 10 t maize silage DM/ha is competitive over the range of land prices and supplement costs tested. Keywords: dairy cows, economic evaluation, maize silage, milksolids, nitrogen fertiliser, stocking rate

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