Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T05:30:28.667Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of sward height and concentrate supplementation on the performance of spring calving dairy cows grazing perennial ryegrass-white clover swards

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2016

A. J. Rook ,
C. A. Huckle  and
R. J. Wilkins
A. J. Rook
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB
C. A. Huckle
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB
R. J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB
Get access

Abstract

Forty-eight spring-calving, Holstein-Friesian cows were continuously stocked on perennial ryegrass-white clover swards maintained at compressed sward heights of 4, 6 or 8 cm and offered 0 (U) or 4 (S) kg concentrates. Milk yields and composition, live weights and intakes (estimated by the n-alkane technique) were recorded for periods 24 May to 27 June (P1) and 28 June to 8 August 1992 (P2) with 4 cm swards not used in P2. Milk and component yields were significantly lower at 4 cm than at 6 or 8 cm in P1 and significantly higher when supplements were offered in both periods with no significant interaction. Herbage intakes were reduced more by supplementation at lower sward heights. Live weight was significantly lower on the 4 cm sward. Fat concentrations were unaffected by height and supplementation in P1 but significantly increased by supplementation in P2. These results suggest that maintaining a sward height of 6 cm offers advantages in terms of individual animal output and output per ha compared with grazing at greater or lower sward heights.

Keywords

concentratesdairy cowsgrazingsward heightTrifolium repens.
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 58 , Issue 2 , April 1994 , pp. 167 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1994

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

Clements, A. J., Huckle, C. A. and Wilkins, R. J. 1991. The effects of sward height and level of concentrate supplementation on the milk production of spring-calving dairy cows grazing grass-clover swards. In Grass on the move: a positive way forward for the grassland farmer (ed. Hopkins, A.), British Grassland Society occasional symposium 26, pp. 145–149.Google Scholar
Dumont Lataste, J. C. 1990. Studies on the relationships between a ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) — white clover (Trifolium repens L.) sward and grazing dairy cows. Ph. D. thesis, University of Reading.Google Scholar
Forbes, J. M. 1977. Development of a model of voluntary food intake and energy balance in lactating cows. Animal Production 24: 203–214.Google Scholar
Gibb, M. J., Ivings, W. E., Dhanoa, M. S. and Sutton, J. D. 1992. Changes in body components of autumn-calving Holstein-Friesian cows over the first 29 weeks of lactation. Animal Production 55: 339–360.Google Scholar
Holmes, C. W. 1974. The Massey grassmeter. Dairy Farming Annual, pp. 26–30.Google Scholar
Lawes Agricultural Trust. 1987. Genstat 5 reference manual. Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Leaver, J. D. 1986. Effects of supplements on herbage intake and performance. In Grazing (ed. Frame, J.,) British Grassland Society occasional symposium 19, pp. 79–88.Google Scholar
Mayes, R. W., Lamb, C. S. and Colgrove, P. M. 1986. The use of dosed and herbage n-alkanes as markers for the determination of herbage intake. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 107: 161–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayne, C. S. 1991. Effects of supplementation on the performance of both growing and lactating cattle at pasture. British Grassland Society occasional symposium 25: 55–71.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. 1986. Feed composition — UK tables of feed composition and nutritive value for ruminants. Chalcombe Publications, Marlow.Google Scholar
Monteiro, L. S. 1972. The control of appetite in lactating cows. Animal Production 14: 263–281.Google Scholar
Rook, A. J., Huckle, C. A. and Penning, P. D. 1994. The effects of sward height and concentrate supplementation on the ingestive behaviour of spring-calving dairy cows grazing grass-clover swards. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. In press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutton, J. D. and Morant, S. V. 1989. A review of the potential of nutrition to modify milk fat and protein. Livestock Production Science 23: 219–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tyrell, H. F. and Reid, J. T. 1965. Prediction of the energy value of cows milk. Journal of Dairy Science 48: 1215–1223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar