Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T10:00:36.416Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The relationship between milk production potential and herbage intake of grazing dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

S.T. Butler ,
G.K. Stakelum ,
J.J. Murphy ,
L. Delaby ,
M. Rath  and
F.P. O’Mara
S.T. Butler
Affiliation:
Teagasc, Dairy Production Department, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
G.K. Stakelum*
Affiliation:
Teagasc, Dairy Production Department, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
J.J. Murphy
Affiliation:
Teagasc, Dairy Production Department, Moorepark Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
L. Delaby
Affiliation:
INRA, UMR Production du Lait 35590 St Gilles, France
M. Rath
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science and Production, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
F.P. O’Mara
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science and Production, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
*
‡ Corresponding author. E-mail : [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The objective of this trial was to examine the daily herbage requirement and grass dry matter intake (DMI) of dairy cows of different levels of milk production with rotational grazing and optimum grazing conditions. The daily herbage allowance (DHA) that was required was defined as the allowance that permitted the herds to graze to a post-grazing sward height (SHA) of 70 mm. Four herds of 15 primiparous Holstein-Friesian cows were assembled with similar characteristics but different milk production potentials. The herds grazed separately and were offered a DHA such that the SHA was 70 mm for all herds. The daily yield per cow, for the 4 weeks prior to the start of the experiment (PMY), was 17·4, 19·8, 21·8 and 24·3 kg milk (s.e.0·20, P < 0·001), 0·72, 0·78, 0·87 and 0·93 kg fat (s.e. 0·021, P < 0·001), 0·59, 0·66, 0·71 and 0·77 kg protein (s.e. 0·009, P < 0·001) for herds 1 to 4, respectively. The experiment began on 30 June and finished on 16 August. The swards offered were 18-day re-growths following a previous defoliation by grazing. Herbage mass pre- and post-grazing was 2143 (s.e.33·3) and 622 (s.e.18·2) kg dry matter (DM) per ha above 40 mm, respectively and were similar for the four herds. The DHA was 21·2, 21·9, 22·9 and 23·9 (s.e. 0·13, P < 0·001) kg DM per cow above 40 mm. Individual cow grass DMI was determined once during the experimental period using the alkane technique. Experimental milk yield (EMY) was 15·1, 17·4, 18·6 and 20·8 (s.e. 0·33, P < 0·001) kg per cow per day. DMI was 14·5, 15·4, 15·5 and 16·1 (s.e. 0·47, P > 0·05). Variations in DMI were best described by the relationship: DMI = 0·85 (s.e. 3·038) + 0·32 (s.e. 0·082) ✕ EMY + 0·012 (s.e. 0·0054) ✕ experimental live weight + 2·10 (s.e. 0·738) ✕ weight gain + 0·020 (s.e. 0·0085) ✕ days in milk (residual s.d. = 1·477 and r = 0·75). EMY was linked to DMI and PMY according to the expression: EMY = –0·64 (s.e. 1·532) + 0·256 (s.e. 0·0865) ✕ DMI + 0·705 (s.e. 0·0620) ✕ PMY (residual s.d. = 1·204 and r = 0·872). It is concluded that higher yielding herds require higher DHA and this is associated with higher DMI of those herds.

Keywords

dairy cowsfood intakegrazingmilk producion
Type
Ruminant nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 77 , Issue 2 , October 2003 , pp. 343 - 354
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arave, C. W. and Kilgour, R. 1982. Differences in grazing and milking behaviour in high and low breeding index cows. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 42: 65–67.Google Scholar
Arendonk, J. A. M.van, Nieuwhof, G. J., Vos, H. and Korver, S. 1991. Genetic aspects of feed intake and efficiency in lactating dairy heifers. Livestock Production Science 29: 263–275.Google Scholar
Belyea, R. L. and Adams, M. W. 1990. Energy and nitrogen utilisation of high versus low producing dairy cows Journal of Dairy Science 73: 1023–1030.Google Scholar
Birch, G., Wangelwa, M. and Orlick, M. 1974. Colorimetric determination of sugars in sweetened condensed milk products. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 25: 1355–1362.Google Scholar
Brumby, P. J. 1959. The grazing behaviour of dairy cattle in relation to milk production, live weight and pasture intake. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 2: 797–801.Google Scholar
Bryant, A. M. and Trigg, T. E. 1981. Progress report on the performance of Jersey cows differing in breeding index. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 41: 39–43.Google Scholar
Buckley, F., Dillon, P., Crosse, S., Flynn, F. and Rath, M. 2000a. The performance of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows of high and medium genetic merit for milk production on grass-based feeding systems. Livestock Production Science 64: 107–119.Google Scholar
Buckley, F., Dillon, P., Rath, M. and Veerkamp, R. F. 2000b. The relationship between genetic merit for yield and live weight, condition score, and energy balance of spring calving Holstein-Friesian cows on grass based systems of milk production. Journal of Dairy Science 83: 1878–1886.Google Scholar
Caird, L. and Holmes, W. 1986. The prediction of voluntary intake of grazing dairy cows. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 107: 43–54.Google Scholar
Combellas, J. and Hodgson, J. 1979. Herbage intake and milk production of grazing dairy cows. 1. The effects of variation in herbage mass and daily herbage allowance in short term trial. Grass and Forage Science 34: 209–215.Google Scholar
Curran, M. K. and Holmes, W. 1970. Prediction of the voluntary intake of food by dairy cows. 2. Lactating grazing cows. Animal Production 12: 213–224.Google Scholar
Delaby, L., Peyraud, J. L. and Delagarde, R. 2001. Effect of the level of concentrate supplementation, herbage allowance and milk yield at turn-out on the performance of dairy cows in mid lactation at grazing. Animal Science 73: 171–181.Google Scholar
Dillon, P. G. 1993. The use of n-alkanes as markers to determine herbage intake, botanical composition of available or consumed herbage and in studies of digesta kinetics with dairy cows. Ph. D. thesis, University College Cork.Google Scholar
Dillon, P. and Crosse, S. 1997. Current and potential production in a profitable dairying system. In Technology for profitable farming. Proceedings of the Teagasc national dairy conference, pp. 2–32. Teagasc, Dublin.Google Scholar
Dillon, P., Ryan, G. and O’Donovan, M. 1999. Increasing output from grassland – future challenges. In Dairying in the new millennium. Proceedings of the Teagasc national dairy conference, pp. 17–28. Teagasc, Dublin.Google Scholar
Dillon, P. and Stakelum, G. 1989. Herbage and dosed alkanes as a grass measurement technique for dairy cows. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 28: 104 (abstr.).Google Scholar
Dove, H., Mayes, R. W., Lamb, C. S. and Ellis, K. J. 2002. Factors influencing the release rate of alkanes from an intra-ruminal, controlled-release device, and the resultant accuracy of intake estimation in sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 53: 681–696.Google Scholar
Fuerst-Waltl, B., Appleby, M. C., Sölkner, J. and Oldham, J. D. 1997. Grazing behaviour of dairy cattle in relation to genetic selection for milk production. Die Bodenkultur 48: 199–209.Google Scholar
Gordon, F. J., Patterson, D. C., Yan, T., Porter, M. G., Mayne, C. S. and Unsworth, E. F. 1995. The influence of genetic index for milk production on the response to complete diet feeding and the utilization of energy and protein. Animal Science 61: 199–210.Google Scholar
Grainger, C., Davey, A. W. F. and Holmes, C. W. 1985. Performance of Friesian cows with high and low breeding indexes. 1. Stall feeding and grazing experiments and performance during the whole lactation. Animal Production 40: 379–388.Google Scholar
Greenhalgh, J. F. D., Reid, G. W., Aitken, J. N. and Florence, E. 1966. The effects of grazing intensity on herbage consumption and animal production. 1. Short-term effects in strip-grazed dairy cows. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 67: 12–23.Google Scholar
Han, T., Gordon, F. G., Ferris, R. E., Agnew, R. E., Porter, M. G. and Patterson, D. C. 1997. The fasting heat production and effect of lactation on energy utilization by dairy cows offered forage-based diets. Livestock Production Science 52: 177–186.Google Scholar
Hodgson, J. 1982. Ingestive behaviour. In Herbage intake handbook (ed. Leaver, J. D.), pp. 113–138. British Grassland Society, Hurley.Google Scholar
Hodgson, J. and Wilkinson, J. M. 1967. The relationship between live weight and herbage intake in grazing cattle. Animal Production 9: 365–376.Google Scholar
Hutchings, N. J. 1991. Spatial heterogeneity and other sources of variance in sward height as measured by the sonic and HFRO sward sticks. Grass and Forage Science 46: 277–282.Google Scholar
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique. 1989. Ruminant nutrition (ed. Jarrige, R.) INRA, Paris.Google Scholar
Kolver, E. S. and Muller, L. D. 1998. Performance and nutrient intake of high producing Holstein cows consuming pasture or a total mixed ration. Journal of Dairy Science 81: 1403–1411.Google Scholar
Langlands, W. S., Corbett, J. L., McDonald, I. and Reid, G. W. 1963. Estimates of energy required for maintenance by adult sheep. 2. Grazing sheep. Animal Production 5: 11–16.Google Scholar
Le Du, Y. L. P., Combellas, J., Hodgson, J. and Baker, R. D. 1979. Herbage intake and milk production by grazing dairy cows. 2. The effects of level of winter feeding and daily herbage allowance. Grass and Forage Science 34: 249–260.Google Scholar
Maher, J., Stakelum, G., Buckley, F. and Dillon, P. 1999. The effect of level of daily grass allowance on the performance of spring-calving dairy cows. Irish Grassland and Animal Production Association Journal 33: 36–47.Google Scholar
Maher, J., Stakelum, G. and Rath, M. 1997. The effect of level of daily herbage allowance on the performance of spring-calving dairy cows. Proceedings of the 23rd annual meeting of the Irish Grassland and Animal Production Association (ed. O’Kiely, P., Collins, J.F. and Storey, T.), pp. 217–218.Google Scholar
Maher, J., Stakelum, G. and Rath, M. 1998. Effect of lactation stage, season and herbage allowance on the performance of dairy cows. Proceedings of the 24th annual meeting of the Irish Grassland and Animal Production Association (ed. O’Kiely, P., Storey, T. and Collins, J. F.), pp. 171–172.Google Scholar
Mayes, R. W., Lamb, C. S. and Colgrove, P. A. 1986. The use of dosed herbage n-alkanes as markers for the determination of herbage intake. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 107: 161–170.Google Scholar
Morgan, D. J. and Stakelum, G. 1987. The prediction of the digestibility of herbage for dairy cows. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 26: 23–24.Google Scholar
Morgan, D. J., Stakelum, G. and O’Dwyer, J. 1989. Modified neutral detergent cellulase digestibility procedure for use with the ‘Fibretec system’. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 28: 91–92.Google Scholar
O’Connell, J.M., Buckley, F., Rath, M. and Dillon, P. 2000. The effects of cow genetic merit and feeding treatment on milk production, herbage intake and grazing behaviour of dairy cows. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 39: 369–381.Google Scholar
O’Donovan, M., Dillon, P., Stakelum, G. and Crosse, S. 1997. Using pasture measurements to monitor performance on intensive dairy farms. Irish Grassland and Animal Production Association Journal 31: 40–49.Google Scholar
O’Kiely, P. 1994. The cost of feedstuffs for cattle. Technical bulletin no. 6. R & H Hall, Dublin.Google Scholar
Peyraud, J. L., Comeron, E. A., Wade, M. H. and Lemaire, G. 1996. The effect of daily herbage allowance, herbage mass and animal factors upon herbage intake by grazing dairy cows. Annales de Zootechnie 45: 201–207.Google Scholar
Peyraud, J. L. and Gonzalez-Rodrigez, A. 2000. Relations between grass production, supplementation and intake in grazing dairy cows. In Grassland farming (ed. K. Soegaard, C. Ohlsson, J. Sehestad, N. J. Hutchings and Kristensen, T.), 18th EGF meeting, Aalborg, Denmark, pp. 269–282.Google Scholar
Phillips, C. J. C. and Leaver, J. D. 1985. Offering supplementary forage to grazing dairy cows. 2. Offering grass silage in early and late season. Grass and Forage Science 40: 193–199.Google Scholar
Stakelum, G. and Connolly, J. 1987. Effect of body size and milk yield on intake of fresh herbage by lactating dairy cows indoors. Irish Journal Agricultural Research 26: 9–22.Google Scholar
Stakelum, G. and Dillon, P. 1990. Influence of sward structure and digestibility on the intake and performance of lactating and growing cattle. In Management issues for the grassland farmer in the 1990s (ed. Mayne, C. S.), occasional publication no. 25, British Grassland Society, pp. 30–42.Google Scholar
Stakelum, G. and Dillon, P. 2003a. The effect of concentrate type and sward characteristics on herbage intake, diet composition and grazing behaviour of dairy cows. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research In press.Google Scholar
Stakelum, G. and Dillon, P. 2003b. The effect of herbage mass and allowance on herbage intake, diet composition and ingestive behaviour of dairy cows. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research In press.Google Scholar
Stakelum, G. and O’Donovan, M. 1998. Grazing severity, sward digestibility and intake, and farm cover targets for profitable summer milk production. In The production of high quality milk from grass and other feeds (ed. Fitzgerald, S.) proceedings of the Irish Grain and Feed Association and Teagasc, Moorepark, conference, pp. 1–16.Google Scholar
Stakelum, G., O’Donovan, M. and Maher, J. 1997. Simplified grazing management for high performance from the cows. In Technology for profitable farming, Proceedings of the Teagasc national dairy conference, pp. 33–53. Teagasc, Dublin.Google Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1991. User’s guide: statistics. SAS Institute, Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Sweeney, R. A. 1989. Generic combustion method for determination of crude protein in feeds: collaborative study. Journal of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists 72: 770–774.Google Scholar
Tyrell, H. F. and Reid, J. T. 1965. Prediction of the energy value of cow’s milk. Journal of Dairy Science 48: 1215–1223.Google Scholar
Vazquez, O. P. and Smith, T. R. 1999. Factors affecting pasture intake and total dry matter intake in grazing dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 83: 2301–2309.Google Scholar
Veerkamp, R. F. and Emmans, G. C. 1995. Sources of genetic variation in energetic efficiency of dairy cows. Livestock Production Science 44: 87–97.Google Scholar
Veerkamp, R. F., Simm, G. and Oldham, J. D. 1994. Effects of interaction between genotype and feeding system on milk production, feed intake, efficiency and body tissue mobilisation in dairy cows. Livestock Production Science 39: 229–241.Google Scholar
Zoby, J. L. F. and Holmes, W. 1983. The influence of size of animal and stocking rate on the herbage intake and grazing behaviour of cattle. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 100: 139–148.Google Scholar