The timing of pasture allocation and grass silage supplementation affect pasture intake, milk production and nitrogen partitioning of dairy cows
Keywords: grazing behavior, grazing management, milk quality, nitrogen use efficiency, rumen function
Abstract
Aim of study: To evaluate the effect of time of pasture allocation (PA) and grass silage allocation on dry matter (DM) intake, grazing behaviour, milk production, rumen function and N partitioning of grazing dairy cows. Area of study: Valdivia, Chile. Material and methods: Forty-five Holstein-Friesian cows were selected from the Austral Agricultural Research Station at the Universidad Austral de Chile. Cows were allocated to one of three treatments: MPA: 75% of PA and 25% of the silage allowance allocated in the morning; BPA: 50% of PA and silage allowance allocated in the morning; APA: 25% of the PA and 75% of the silage allowance allocated in the morning. All treatments received the complement of pasture and silage allowance in the afternoon. Cows received a daily PA of 21 kg dry DM, 3 kg DM of grass silage and 3.5 kg DM of concentrate. Main results: Grazing time was not affected by treatments, however, grazing time between afternoon-morning milking was longer for APA. DM intake and milk production were not modified by treatments, averaging 15.6 kg DM/cow and 22.7 kg milk/d, respectively. Rumen propionate was greater for BPA than APA (18.8 and 17.7 mmol/100 mol, respectively). N intake and N excretion throughout milk, urine and feces were not modified by treatments, averaging 458, 119, 195 and 144 g N/d, respectively.
Más información
Título de la Revista: | SPANISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH |
Volumen: | 19 |
Número: | 2 |
Editorial: | CONSEJO SUPERIOR INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS-CSIC |
Fecha de publicación: | 2021 |
Página de inicio: | 1 |
Página final: | 11 |
Idioma: | Ingles |
URL: | https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2021192-16264 |