scholarly journals Maximising Lucerne (Medicago sativa) Pasture Intake of Dairy Cows: 2—The Effect of Post-Grazing Pasture Height and Mixed Ration Level

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 904
Author(s):  
Kieran A. D. Ison ◽  
Marcelo A. Benvenutti ◽  
David G. Mayer ◽  
Simon Quigley ◽  
David G. Barber
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Intake Rate ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Fat Tissue ◽  
Ration Level ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Southeast Queensland

The effects of lucerne (Medicago sativa) post-grazing residual pasture height on pasture utilisation (vertical and horizontal), pasture intake and animal production were investigated in a sub-tropical partial mixed ration dairy system. The study took place at the Gatton Research Dairy, Southeast Queensland (−27.552, 152.333), with a 26-day adaptation period followed by two 8-day measurement periods during August and September 2018. A quantity of 30 multiparous Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were offered two levels of mixed ration, 7 and 14 kg dry matter (DM)/cow/day for low and high levels respectively, and five levels of pasture allocation, to achieve decreasing residual pasture heights. Pasture allocations measured from 5 cm above ground level for the low mixed ration groups averaged 12.7, 15.9, 19.8, 35.3 and 49.2 kg DM/cow/day, and for the high mixed ration groups averaged 5.0, 8.3, 10.3, 18.6, and 25.2 kg DM/cow/day, respectively. As pasture allocation decreased, cows were forced to graze further down into the pasture sward, and therefore residual pasture height declined. Total intake (kg DM/cow/day) declined as residual pasture height (expressed as % of the initial height) declined, irrespective of mixed ration level, decreasing by 0.5 kg DM/cow/day for every 10% decrease in residual pasture height. Low total intakes were associated with high non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels in plasma, indicating mobilisation of fat tissue to maintain milk production. In the high allocation treatments, an area of pasture remained ungrazed and cows were only grazing the top leafy stratum where pasture intake rate and intake were highest. Therefore, to maximise intake in sub-tropical partial mixed ration (PMR) systems, lucerne pasture should be allocated so that cows are always grazing the top leafy stratum. This can be achieved by ensuring the pasture around faecal patches remains ungrazed.

scholarly journals Maximizing Lucerne (Medicago sativa) Pasture Intake of Dairy Cows: 1-the Effect of Pre-Grazing Pasture Height and Mixed Ration Level

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kieran A. D. Ison ◽  
Marcelo A. Benvenutti ◽  
David G. Mayer ◽  
Simon Quigley ◽  
David G. Barber
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Ration Level ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Medicago Sativa L ◽  
Measurement Period

The effect of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) pre-grazing pasture height on pasture intake and milk production was investigated in a sub-tropical partial mixed ration (PMR) dairy system in south-east Queensland, Australia. The experiment involved a 26-day adaptation period followed by an eight-day measurement period during April and May 2018. Twenty-four multiparous Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were offered a mixed ration at either 7 (low) or 14 (high) kg dry matter (DM)/cow/day and allocated pastures at pre-grazing heights ranging from 23 to 39 cm. The targeted pasture intake was 14 and 7 kg DM/cow/day for cows offered the low and high mixed ration allowances respectively, with a total intake target of 21 kg DM/cow/day. Pasture structure did not limit pasture intake as the all groups left at least 12% of the allocated area ungrazed, and therefore could selectively graze pasture. There was no significant difference in intake between mixed ration levels, however intake had a positive linear relationship with pre-grazing pasture height. For every one cm increase in pasture height, intake increased by 0.3 kg DM/cow/day. Using a grazing strategy that ensures the some pasture remains ungrazed and the pre-grazing height of lucerne is approximately 39 cm above ground level will maximise pasture intake in sub-tropical PMR dairy systems.

The effect of sward surface height on grazing behaviour by lactating holstein-friesian cows

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 26-26
Author(s):  
M. J. Gibb ◽  
A. J. Rook ◽  
C. A. Huckle ◽  
R. Nuthall
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Intake Rate ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Biting Rate ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Grazing Behaviour ◽  
Friesian Cows

Sward surface height (SSH) has been shown to have an effect on the performance of dairy cows. However, to understand precisely how cows adapt to such differing sward conditions, it is necessary to study the interactions between bite mass, biting rate, and thus intake rate, and time spent grazing. An experiment was therefore designed to examine grazing behaviour and intake by lactating cows at three sward heights.

scholarly journals Effect of restricted feeding in the far-off period on performance and metabolic status of dairy cows

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-100
Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Nowak ◽  
Robert Mikuła ◽  
Ewa Pruszyńska-Oszmałek ◽  
Barbara Stefańska ◽  
Paweł Maćkowiak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Restricted Feeding ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Fibre Diet ◽  
System Recommendation ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
Ad Libitum Feeding

AbstractThe aim of the study was to investigate experimentally the effects of restricted or ad libitum feeding in the far-off period on performance of dairy cows. Two groups of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows having 19 animals in each group were allotted to two planes of nutrition in the far-off period from -56 to -22 days. The ADLIB group was fed ad libitum (DMI 12.9 kg) while in the RES group the dry matter intake was restricted by 3 kg DM compared to the average dry matter during the last 7 days in the ADLIB group. Average daily energy intake decreased from 8.90 UFL in the ADLIB to 6.83 UFL in the RES group. In the close-up period and after parturition, the cows of both groups were given the same diet. In restrictively fed cows, there was a tendency to a greater decrease in BCS during both the dry period (P=0.09) and lactation (P=0.07). After parturition milk production, fertility indices and blood concentration of IGF-1, insulin and glucose were not significantly affected by the far-off treatment. In the RES group, lower BHBA 3 days before calving and on day 5 of lactation and lower NEFA on day 28 of lactation were recorded. Also in this group higher levels of glucose 3 days before calving, triiodothyronine (T3) on days -30 and 5, and thyroxine (T4) on days -3 and 28 were observed. It is concluded that restricted feeding in the far-off period positively affected blood indicators of lipomobilization during the transition period, but had little effect on performance of lactating cows. In spite of low energy, high-fibre diet offered ad libitum in the faroff period resulted in the energy overfeeding compared to the INRA system recommendation.

CHROMIC OXIDE IN DIGESTIBILITY STUDIES WITH LACTATING DAIRY COWS

1969 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-388
Author(s):  
A. L. Hoogendoorn ◽  
C. M. Grieve
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Conventional Method ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Chromic Oxide ◽  
Daily Administration ◽  
Apparent Digestibility ◽  
Lactating Dairy Cows ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Friesian Cows

Chromic oxide (Cr2O3) in paper pellets was used as an indicator for digestibility studies with four Holstein-Friesian cows fed rations composed of different roughage to concentrate ratios. Cows A and B received one pellet, or 3.46 g of Cr2O3, whereas cows C and D received three pellets, or 10.38 g of Cr2O3, daily.Recovery of Cr2O3 in the feces varied from 84 to 103% for animals A and B and from 92 to 95% for animals C and D. The coefficients of apparent digestion of dry matter were lower (P < 0.01) when the Cr2O3 method was used instead of the conventional method. When samples were taken at 0500, 0900, 1300 and 1700 hours, the Cr2O3 method gave average estimates of digestibility for animal pairs A, B and C, D that were 94.2 and 97.5% of those obtained by the conventional method. Standard deviations for both the Cr2O3 and conventional methods were relatively high.Excretion patterns of Cr2O3 were not signicantly correlated with those of crude protein, phosphorus and calcium. The average concentrations of crude protein, phosphorus and calcium in compounded feces samples collected at 0500, 0900, 1300 and 1700 hours were 101.3, 100.6 and 96.7% of those in samples of the total excretions.The daily administration of 10.38 g of Cr2O3 at 0900 hours for eight days, and the collection of fecal grab samples at 0500, 0900, 1300 and 1700 hours daily during the last five days seemed satisfactory for estimating apparent digestibility of dry matter.

scholarly journals Corn silage supplementation for dairy cows grazing annual ryegrass at two pasture allowances

2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 1037-1046
Author(s):  
M.F. Miguel ◽  
R. Delagarde ◽  
H.M.N. Ribeiro-Filho
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Soybean Meal ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Lolium Multiflorum ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Corn Silage ◽  
Annual Ryegrass ◽  
Strip Grazing

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.

scholarly journals Effect of Post-grazing Sward Height on Ingestive Behavior, Dry Matter Intake, and Milk Production of Holstein Dairy Cows

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Menegazzi ◽  
Pamela Yanina Giles ◽  
Matías Oborsky ◽  
Oliver Fast ◽  
Diego Antonio Mattiauda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Ingestive Behavior ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Intake Rate ◽  
Evaluation Period ◽  
Sward Height

Sward height is strongly related to the daily dry matter intake of grazing dairy cows, which consequently determines animal performance. Despite that, few studies have explored the potential to increase milk production by managing post-grazing sward height. An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of three defoliation intensities on a Lolium arundinaceum-based pasture on frequency and length of grazing meals and ruminating bouts, daily grazing and ruminating time, feeding stations and patches exploration, and dry matter intake and milk production of dairy cows. The treatments imposed were three different post-grazing sward heights: control (TC), medium (TM), and lax (TL), which were managed with 6, 9, and 12 cm of post-grazing sward heights during autumn and winter, and 9, 12, and 15 cm of post-grazing sward heights during spring, respectively. Thirty-six autumn-calving Holstein cows were grouped by parity (2.6 ± 0.8), body weight (618 ± 48) kg, and body condition score (2.8 ± 0.2) and randomized to the treatments. The pasture was accessed from 08:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 03:00 during spring and no supplement was involved during the evaluation period. Daily grazing time averaged 508 ± 15 min and was not affected by treatment. The reduction of post-grazing sward height increased the length of the first grazing session in the morning and the afternoon. The number of grazing sessions was greater on TL than on TM, with no difference in TC. The number of feeding stations (the hypothetical semi-circle in front of an animal from which the bites were taken without moving the front forefeet) visited was less on TC than on TL, and neither of them differed from TM. Dry matter (DM) intake was lesser on TC than on TM and TL (14.7 vs. 17.8 kg DM). Milk production during the evaluation period was 13.1, 16.2, and 18.7 kg/day for TC, TM, and TL, respectively. The milk fat, protein, and lactose content did not differ between treatments. The cows on TC exhibited a lower intake rate, although they were less selective, probably as a consequence of the sward structure of TC treatment. The cows on TM adopted a compensation mechanism which allowed them to achieve the same dry matter intake as cows on TL, but lower milk production. The cows on TL were more selective than TC and TM resulting in higher digestible dry matter intake and consequently higher milk production. The intensity of defoliation impacts on the animal-plant interaction, and constitutes a valuable management tool that can be used to boost forage intake and milk production. The new developments on information technology would allow researchers to link behavioral data with response variables (e.g., milk production, health, welfare, etc.) at different spatio-temporal scales and support short and long-term management decisions.

Dry matter intake and feeding behaviour of grazing dairy cows offered a mixed ration with or without canola meal

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Wright ◽  
M. J. Auldist ◽  
E. Kennedy ◽  
N. Galvin ◽  
F. R. Dunshea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Canola Meal ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
Eating Time ◽  
Grazing Dairy Cows

Dry matter intake and feeding behaviour were measured in grazing dairy cows fed partial mixed rations with (PMR+C) and without (PMR–C) canola meal. In spring (early lactation), 32 Holstein–Friesian dairy cows were offered two amounts of the two supplement treatments in a two × two factorial arrangement of treatments for 24 days. Amounts of supplement were low (8 kg DM/cow.day) versus high (14 kg DM/cow.day). The PMR–C ration comprised wheat grain (59.5%, DM basis), maize grain (18.9%) and lucerne hay (21.6%). The PMR+C ration was the same, except some wheat grain was substituted with canola meal (21.6%). Both rations were isoenergetic, with a grain to forage ratio of 78 : 22 (DM basis). All cows were offered a low pasture allowance of 10 kg DM/cow.day to ground level. Replacing some wheat in a ration with canola meal increased pasture and total eating time. Dry matter intake did not differ between PMR–C and PMR+C cows. The present experiment also demonstrated that altering the amount of supplement did not influence the increase in eating time that occurred as a result of the inclusion of canola meal. Increasing the amount of supplement reduced pasture intake as a result of a reduction in grazing time and grazing intensity.

Feeding a partial mixed ration once a day did not increase milk production compared with feeding grain in the dairy and forage in the paddock

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1405 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Wright ◽  
L. C. Marett ◽  
J. S. Greenwood ◽  
M. Hannah ◽  
J. L. Jacobs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Barley Grain ◽  
System Control ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Increase Milk Production ◽  
Metabolisable Energy ◽  
Dietary Treatments ◽  
Measurement Period

This experiment measured milk production responses of grazing cows offered supplements in different ways. Holstein-Friesian cows averaging 89 days in milk, were allocated into six groups of 36 (each group including three rumen-fistulated cows). Two groups were randomly assigned to each of three dietary treatments: (1) cows were offered milled barley grain twice daily at milking and pasture silage in the paddock (Control); (2) the same amounts of milled barley grain and pasture silage were fed as a partial mixed ration (PMR) once a day following morning milking (PMR1); and (3) cows were supplemented with a PMR containing milled barley grain, lucerne hay, maize silage and crushed maize grain fed once a day following morning milking (PMR2). All dietary treatments were formulated to provide the same metabolisable energy and cows were offered a restricted allowance of ~14 kg DM/cow.day (to ground level) of perennial ryegrass pasture in addition to their supplement. Each group of 36 cows was further divided into four groups of nine, each of which were offered supplements at either 6, 8, 10 and 12 kg DM/cow.day. The experiment consisted of a 14-day adaptation period and an 11-day measurement period. Cows fed PMR1 and PMR2 once a day did not show an increase in milk production compared with the traditional feeding system (Control). Presumably this was a result of asynchronous supply of nutrients to the rumen (in isoenergetic diets) compromising conditions for digestion and milk production.

The effect of pre-graze mowing on milk production of dairy cows grazing grass–herb–legume pastures managed under contrasting spring defoliation regimes

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 1414 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. S. Cun ◽  
G. R. Edwards ◽  
R. H. Bryant
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
The Third ◽  
Production Study ◽  
Herbage Quality ◽  
Late Control ◽  
Metabolisable Energy

Strategies to increase herbage dry-matter (DM) production are sought for dairy systems. One proposed strategy is tactical spring defoliation with greater pre-grazing herbage mass and higher post-grazing heights. However, there are concerns over the effects of these strategies on herbage quality, DM intake and milk production. Irrigated, diverse pastures in Canterbury, New Zealand, containing perennial ryegrass, white clover, chicory, plantain and lucerne, were managed over two grazing rotations in spring under normal (grazed to 3.5 cm) or lax management (grazed to 5 cm, allowing early ryegrass seedhead development before normal grazing at anthesis ‘late control’). On the third grazing rotation, a milk production study was conducted. Thirty-six, mid-lactation spring calving Friesian × Jersey dairy cows were allocated to nine groups of four cows and randomly allocated to three replicates of the following three treatments: (1) normal grazing (Norm), (2) lax grazing of standing herbage (Lax) and (3) lax grazing with pre-graze mowing of herbage (Mow). Cows were offered a daily herbage allocation of 30 kg DM/cow above ground level, with milk production measured over 8 days. Pastures managed under lax management had higher pre-grazing herbage mass (4149 kg DM/ha) than did pastures managed under normal management (3105 kg DM/ha), but all treatments had similar metabolisable energy (~12.26 MJ ME/kg DM). Daily milksolid (MS) production tended to be lower (P = 0.07) for cows grazing pastures managed under Lax and Mow (2.34 and 2.24 MS/cow.day respectively) than with Norm (2.43 MS/cow.day). Although there was no difference in daily MS production between mowing and greater pre-graze herbage mass, switching from a high to low grazing residual managed by either grazing or mowing in late spring is likely to have a negative impact on milk production.

scholarly journals Safety and Transfer Study: Transfer of Bromoform Present in Asparagopsis taxiformis to Milk and Urine of Lactating Dairy Cows

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 584
Author(s):  
Wouter Muizelaar ◽  
Maria Groot ◽  
Gert van Duinkerken ◽  
Ruud Peters ◽  
Jan Dijkstra
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Animal Tissue ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Target Dose ◽  
Red Seaweeds ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Toxicological Effects ◽  
Asparagopsis Taxiformis ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Rats And Mice

Enteric methane (CH4) is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions from ruminants. The red seaweeds Asparagopsis taxiformis (AT) and Asparagopsis armata contain halogenated compounds, including bromoform (CHBr3), which may strongly decrease enteric CH4 emissions. Bromoform is known to have several toxicological effects in rats and mice and is quickly excreted by the animals. This study investigated the transfer of CHBr3 present in AT to milk, urine, feces, and animal tissue when incorporated in the diet of dairy cows. Twelve lactating Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, representing the target dose (low), 2× target dose (medium), and 5× target dose (high). The adaptation period lasted seven days, and subsequently cows were fed AT for 22 days maximally. The transfer of CHBr3 to the urine at days 1 and 10 (10–148 µg/L) was found with all treatments. On day 1, CHBr3 was detected in the milk of most cows in the low and medium treatment groups (9.1 and 11 µg/L, respectively), and detected in the milk of one cow in the high treatment group on day 9 (35 µg/L). Bromoform was not detected in milk and urine at day 17, nor at concentrations above the detection limit in feces and collected animal tissues. Two animals (low) were sacrificed, and their rumen wall showed abnormalities. Upon histological examination, signs of inflammation became visible. Animals regularly refused the feed or distinctively selected against AT. In conclusion, within the confines of the present experiment, CHBr3 does not accumulate in animal tissue, but can be excreted in urine and milk.

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