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The effect of level and system of concentrate allocation to January/February calving cows on total lactation performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. W. J. Steen  and
F. J. Gordon
R. W. J. Steen
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down
F. J. Gordon
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down
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Abstract

A randomized block experiment using 108 British Friesian cows was conducted over a 2-year period to assess the effects of level and pattern of concentrate allocation during early lactation on the performance of cows which calve during January and February. The three concentrate levels were 280 (L1), 405 (L2) and 530 (L3) kg during a 74-day post-calving period, and the two systems of allocation were either a uniform daily allowance (uniform system) or a high input for the first 4 weeks after calving followed by a low input (high/low system). The animals had ad libitum access to medium-quality grass silage during the indoor period and in both years were turned out to pasture on 9 April. At pasture they were grazed rotationally in treatment groups at a stocking rate ranging from 6·4 cows ha-1 in the early-grazing season to 4·9 cows ha-1 in the late-grazing season.

Mean milk outputs for the indoor feeding period were: high/low system 1577 (L1), 1705 (L2) and 1764 (L3), uniform system 1583 (L1), 1676 (L2) and 1783 (L3) ±33·8 kg; and for the total lactation were high/low system 4625 (L1), 4906 (L2) and 5148 (L3), uniform system 4830 (L1), 4933 (L2) an d 5301 (L3) ±118·9 kg.There was no significant interaction between level and system of concentrate allocation. Feed intake, milk composition, animal live weight and body-condition data are also presented.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , February 1980 , pp. 39 - 51
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1980

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References

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