Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T08:09:57.989Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Grazing behaviour of dairy cows on biodiverse mountain pastures is more influenced by slope than cow breed

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2019

M. Koczura ,
B. Martin ,
M. Bouchon ,
G. Turille ,
J. Berard ,
A. Farruggia ,
M. Kreuzer  and
M. Coppa
M. Koczura
Affiliation:
ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
B. Martin
Affiliation:
Université Clermont Auvergne, INRA, VetAgro Sup, UMR1213 Herbivores, 63122, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
M. Bouchon
Affiliation:
Université Clermont Auvergne, INRA, UE Herbipôle, 15190 Marcenat, France
G. Turille
Affiliation:
Institut Agricole Régional – Regione La Rochere 1/A, 11100 Aosta, Italy
J. Berard*
Affiliation:
ETH Zurich, AgroVet-Strickhof, Eschikon 27, 8315 Lindau, Switzerland
A. Farruggia
Affiliation:
Université Clermont Auvergne, INRA, VetAgro Sup, UMR1213 Herbivores, 63122, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
M. Kreuzer
Affiliation:
ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitaetstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
M. Coppa
Affiliation:
Université Clermont Auvergne, INRA, VetAgro Sup, UMR1213 Herbivores, 63122, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine how cows with different genetic merit behave and perform when grazing biodiverse and heterogeneous mountain pastures with different slopes. Three groups of 12 cows in late lactation, each composed of four Holstein, four Montbéliarde and four Valdostana Red Pied cows, breeds of increasing presumed robustness and decreasing milk yield (MY) potential. Cows grazed without concentrate either on a low-diversity flat pasture or on two species-rich mountainous pastures having slopes of either 7° or 22°. Milk yield, BW and grazing behaviour were monitored two times in the first and once in the second grazing cycle. Cows of different breeds had similar behaviour on all pastures. The Montbéliarde cows performed close to their production potential; Holstein and Valdostana cows produced less milk than anticipated. No breed difference in terms of BW loss was found. The Valdostana cows exhibited the least selective behaviour with respect to plant species and plant growth stage. Still, all cows searched for the most palatable vegetation regardless of pasture diversity. On the steep pasture, cows optimised the trade-off between ingesting and saving energy to obtain feed. They remained longer at the lowest zone and selected forbs, whereas cows on the flatter pasture went to the upper zone to select grasses. The present study gave no evidence for a superior short-term adaptation to harsh grazing conditions through an optimised feeding behaviour of the Valdostana breed compared to Montbéliarde and Holstein cows.

Keywords

Valdostana Red PiedMontbéliardeHolsteinpasture topographyfeed selection
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 13 , Issue 11 , November 2019 , pp. 2594 - 2602
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2019 

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

Adler, PB, Raff, DA and Lauenroth, WK 2001. The effect of grazing on the spatial heterogeneity of vegetation. Oecologia 128, 465–479.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Agroscope 2018. Feeding Recommendations and Nutrient Tables for Ruminants. Retrieved on 22 February 2019, from https://www.agroscope.admin.ch/agroscope/fr/home/services/soutien/aliments-pour-animaux/apports-alimentaires-recommandes-pour-les-ruminants.html.Google Scholar
Aharoni, Y, Henkin, Z, Ezra, A, Dolev, A, Shabtay, A, Orlov, A, Yehuda, Y and Brosh, A 2009. Grazing behavior and energy costs of activity: A comparison between two types of cattle. Journal of Animal Science 87, 2719–2731.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blanc, F, Bocquier, F, Agabriel, J, D’Hour, P, Chilliard, Y. 2006. Adaptive abilities of the females and sustainability of ruminant livestock systems. A review. Animal Research 55, 489–510.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coppa, M, Farruggia, A, Pradel, P, Lombardi, G, Martin, B 2011. An improved ‘grazed class method’ to estimate species selection and dry matter intake by cows at pasture. Italian Journal of Animal Science 10, 58–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coppa, M, Gorlier, A, Lonati, M, Martin, B, Russo, EM and Lombardi, G 2012. The management of the transition from hay-to pasture-based diets affects milk fatty acid kinetics. Dairy Science and Technology 92, 279–295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coppa, M, Farruggia, A, Ravaglia, P, Pomiès, D, Borreani, G, Le Morvan, A and Ferlay, A 2015. Frequent moving of grazing dairy cows to new paddocks increases the variability of milk fatty acid composition. Animal 9, 604–613.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coulon, JB and D’Hour, P 1994. The effect of level of concentrate feeding on the performance of dairy cows of different breeds. Annales de Zootechnie 43, 355–368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coulon, JB and Pérochon, L 2000. Evolution de la production laitière au cours de la lactation: modèle de prediction chez la vache laitière. INRA Productions Animales 13, 349–360.Google Scholar
Daget, P and Poissonet, J 1971. A method of plant analysis of pastures. Annales Agronomiques 22, 5–41.Google Scholar
Dumont, B, Rook, AJ, Coran, Ch and Röver, K-U 2007a. Effects of livestock breed and grazing intensity on biodiversity and production in grazing systems. 2. Diet selection. Grass and Forage Science 62, 159–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dumont, B, Garel, JP, Ginane, C, Decuq, F, Farruggia, A, Pradel, P, Rigolot, C and Petit, M 2007b. Effect of cattle grazing a species-rich mountain pasture under different stocking rates on the dynamics of diet selection and sward structure. Animal 1, 1042–1052.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Farruggia, A, Pomiès, D, Coppa, M, Ferlay, A, Verdier-Metz, I, Le Morvan, A, Bethier, A, Pompanon, F, Troquier, O and Martin, B 2014. Animal performances, pasture biodiversity and dairy product quality: How it works in contrasted mountain grazing systems. Agricultural Ecosystems and Environment 185, 231–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Friggens, NC, Blanc, F, Berry, DP and Puillet, L 2017. Review: Deciphering animal robustness. A synthesis to facilitate its use in livestock breeding and management. Animal 11, 2237–2251.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gangnat, IDM, Leiber, F, Dufey, PA, Silacci, P, Kreuzer, M and Bérard, J 2016. Physical activity, forced by steep pastures, affects muscle characteristics and meat quality of suckling beef calves. Journal of Agricultural Science 155, 348–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hazel, AR, Heins, BJ and Hansen, LB 2017. Fertility, survival, and conformation of Montbeliarde × Holstein and Viking Red × Holstein crossbred cows compared with pure Holstein cows during first lactation in 8 commercial dairy herds. Journal of Dairy Science 100, 9447–9458.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heublein, C, Dohme-Meier, F, Sudekum, KH, Bruckmaier, RM, Thanner, S and Schori, F 2017. Impact of cow strain and concentrate supplementation on grazing behaviour, milk yield and metabolic state of dairy cows in an organic pasture-based feeding system. Animal 11, 1163–1173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobs, J 1974. Quantitative measurement of food selection. Oecologia 14, 413–417.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kohler, F, Gillet, F, Reust, S, Wagner, HH, Gadallah, F, Gobat, J-M and Buttler, A 2006. Spatial and seasonal patterns of cattle habitat use in a mountain wooded pasture. Landscape Ecology 21, 281–295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lopes, F, Coblentz, W, Hoffman, P and Combs, D. 2013. Assessment of heifer grazing experience on short-term adaptation to pasture and performance as lactating cows. Journal of Dairy Science 96, 3138–3152.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mesquita, FL de SR, Farruggia, A, Andueza, D, Piccard, F, Le Morvan, A, Quereuil, A, Carvalho, PCF, Fournier, F and Pomiès, D 2016. Animal diet quality during the grazing season in two mountain low-input dairy systems. In Mountain Pastures and Livestock Farming Facing Uncertainty: Environmental, Technical and Socio-Economic Challenges (ed. Casasús, I and G Lombardi), 171–174. Zaragoza: CIHEAM, Options Méditerranéennes: Série A. Séminaires Méditerranéens 116.Google Scholar
McCarthy, S, Horan, B, Rath, M, Linnane, M, O’Connor, P and Dillon, P 2007. The influence of strain of Holstein-Friesian dairy cow and pasture-based feeding system on grazing behaviour, intake and milk production. Grass and Forage Science 62, 13–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prendiville, R, Lewis, E, Pierce, KM and Buckley, F 2010. Comparative grazing behavior of lactating Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, and Jersey × Holstein-Friesian dairy cows and its association with intake capacity and production efficiency. Journal of Dairy Science 93, 764–774.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Puppel, K, Bogusz, E, Golebiewski, M, Nalecz-Tarwacka, T, Kuczynska, B, Slorarz, J, Budzinski, A, Solarczyk, P, Kunowska-Slosarz, M and Przysucha, T 2018. Effect of dairy cow crossbreeding on selected performance traits and quality of milk in first generation crossbreds. Journal of Food Science 83, 229–236.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Putfarken, D, Dengler, J, Lehmann, S and Hardtle, W 2008. Site use of grazing cattle and sheep in a large-scale pasture landscape: A GPS/GIS assessment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 111, 54–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romanzin, A, Corazzin, M, Piasentier, E, Bovolenta, S 2018. Concentrate supplement modifies the feeding behavior of Simmental cows grazing in two high mountain pastures. Animals 8, 76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saether, NH, Sickel, H, Norderhaug, A, Sickel, M, Vangen, O 2006. Plant and vegetation preferences for a high and a moderate yielding Norwegian dairy cattle breed grazing semi-natural mountain pastures. Animal Research 55, 367–387.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Santini, F, Guri, F, and Gomez, y, Paloma, S 2013. Labelling of agricultural and food products of mountain farming. EUR Scientific and Technological Series. Seville, Spain: European Commission, EUR 25768 Joint Research Centre–Institute for Prospective Technological Studies.Google Scholar
Sturaro, E, Marchiori, E, Cocca, G, Penasa, M, Ramanzin, M and Bittante, G 2013. Dairy systems in mountainous areas: Farm animal biodiversity, milk production and destination, and land use. Livestock Science 158, 157–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tamburini, A, Gusmeroli, F, Roveda, P and Succi, G 2005. Effect of season on nutritive value of an alpine pasture. Italian Journal of Animal Science 4, 172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Koczura et al. supplementary material

Figure S1 and Tables S1-S3

Download Koczura et al. supplementary material(File)
File 1.9 MB