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A note on dried grass as a component of concentrate mixtures for lactating dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

W. A. McIlmoyle ,
J. C. Murdoch  and
F. J. Gordon
W. A. McIlmoyle
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down
J. C. Murdoch
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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Summary

Twenty-four cows were used in a randomized block, continuous feeding trial to examine the effects of including 0, 25 or 50% of dried grass in a concentrate given to cows receiving grass silage ad libitum. The concentrates also contained barley, and soya bean meal to maintain the crude protein content at 16%, and were given at the rate of 0·4 kg/kg of milk. The treatments were imposed for a 6-week period after a preliminary feeding period of 4 weeks. At the beginning of the experiment the cows had, on average, calved 39 days previously. The mean intakes of silage dry matter were 7·60, 8·28 and 8·39 kg/day with the concentrates containing 0, 25 and 50% dried grass, respectively, and were significantly greater when dried grass was included in the concentrate. The mean milk yields of 200, 18·2 and 19·6 kg/day for the three treatments respectively were not significantly different. Body-weight change and milk composition were not significantly different between treatments.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , February 1975 , pp. 163 - 166
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1975

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References

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