Effect of supplementation on production by spring‐calving dairy cows grazing swards of differing clover content

Wilkins, R. J.; Gibb, M. J.; Huckle, C. A.; Clements, A. J.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2494.1994.tb02024.x

Cited by 30 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(6 reference statements)

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“…At grazing, herbage intake is markedly higher (115% to 120%) with pure legume relative to pure grass pastures (Alder and Minson, 1963). The beneficial effects of WC on animal intake and performance within a WC-grass pasture have been demonstrated by Wilkins et al (1994). The difference increases with the clover content and reaches a maximum when clover content averages 50% to 60% (Harris et al, 1998).…”

Section: Variation Of Nutrient Supply At Grazing Relative To Animal Rmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing variations in dairy cow nutrient supply under grazing

Peyraud

Delagarde

2013

Animal

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Grazed pasture, which is the cheapest source of nutrients for dairy cows, should form the basis of profitable and low-input animal production systems. Management of high-producing dairy cows at pasture is thus a major challenge in most countries. The objective of the present paper is to review the factors that can affect nutrient supply for grazing dairy cows in order to point out areas with scope for improvement on managing variations in nutrient supply to achieve high animal performance while maintaining efficient pasture utilisation per hectare (ha). Reviewing the range in animal requirements, intake capacity and pasture nutritive values shows that high-producing cows cannot satisfy their energy requirements from grazing alone and favourable to unfavourable situations for grazing dairy cows may be classified according to pasture quality and availability. Predictive models also enable calculation of supplementation levels required to meet energy requirements in all situations. Solutions to maintain acceptable level of production per cow and high output per ha are discussed. Strategies of concentrate supplementation and increasing use of legumes in mixed swards are the most promising. It is concluded that although high-producing cow cannot express their potential milk production at grazing, there is scope to improve animal performance at grazing given recent developments in our understanding of factors influencing forage intake and digestion of grazed forages.

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Section: Variation Of Nutrient Supply At Grazing Relative To Animal Rmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing variations in dairy cow nutrient supply under grazing

Peyraud

Delagarde

2013

Animal

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“…Although milk production at pasture, without concentrate increases linearly with the potential of the animal [9], it is impossible to satisfy the energy needs of high genetic merit cows with grass alone. Consequently, while the responses to supplementation have been small in the past [26,27], they are now more marked [10,13,45] with efficiency equal to or higher than 1 kg milk per kg of concentrate consumed. Faced with such developments, doubts are sometimes cast on the quantities of concentrate recommended in France and on the traditional methods of concentrate allocation in proportion to the production level of the cows [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of two contrasting grazing managements and level of concentrate supplementation on the performance of grazing dairy cows

Delaby

Peyraud

Foucher³

et al. 2003

Anim. Res.

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-The grazing management of dairy cows is characterised by practices that vary greatly in terms of stocking rate, nitrogen fertilisation and supplementation. The objective of this 6-year experiment was to establish the response by dairy cows to increasing amounts of concentrate supplement under two contrasted rotational grazing systems. Each year, 30 cows were assigned to a Severe grazing system aimed at maximising milk production per hectare with high annual nitrogen input (280 kg N·ha -1 ) and a high stocking rate. Another 30 cows were assigned to a Lax grazing system characterised by a lower input (120 kg N·ha -1 ) and stocking rate aimed at offering a greater quantity of grass per animal per day. From 1995 to 1997, four moderate levels of concentrate supplementation (0, 1.4, 2.8 and 4.0 kg) adjusted according to the milk yield of the cows at turnout were compared. From 1998 to 2000, higher quantities of concentrate (0, 2, 4 and 6 kg) maintained at a flat rate between cows were compared. The Lax grazing system led to a 0.8 to 1.0 kg increase in milk yield (P < 0.0001) per cow per day without any significant modification of milk fat and milk protein content, compared to the Severe grazing system. Compared with the Severe treatment, the Lax treatment reduced cow grazing days by 160 days per ha and milk production by 3225 kg per ha. In both systems, concentrate supplementation made it possible to increase milk yield, with an efficiency of close to 1 kg of milk per kg of concentrate, as well as increasing milk protein content and live weight gain. The milk fat content decreased only in the last three years of the experiment, following an increased concentrate supplementation. All these animal responses remained linear up to the maximum amount of concentrate offered; there was no variation between cows supplemented with the same concentrate level. This multi-annual experiment confirms the importance of making the best possible use of herbage produced by adapting the stocking rate to achieve a post grazing sward height of 5 to 6 cm during the grazing season. With an increased genetic potential of the dairy herd, high individual cow performance at grazing can be attained by the use of concentrate supplementation. dairy cows / grazing management / supplementation / milk production 437 * Corresponding author: luc.delaby@rennes.inra.fr Anim. Res. 52 (2003) 437-460  INRA, EDP Sciences, 2003 DOI: 10.1051/animres:2003030Résumé -Effets des conditions de pâturage et de l'apport de concentré sur les performances des vaches laitières. L'alimentation des vaches laitières au pâturage se caractérise par une grande diversité des pratiques à la fois en terme de chargement, de fertilisation azotée et de complémentation. L'objectif de cette expérience pluriannuelle est de décrire la réponse des vaches laitières à l'apport de doses croissantes de concentré dans deux situations contrastées de pâturage. Chaque année, la moitié des 60 vaches utilisées a été affectée soit à un scénario Severe visant à maximiser les performances...

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“…Under appropriate climatic conditions, T. repens/grass mixtures can produce high yields and a good fodder quality (Wilman & Williams, 1993;Wilkins, Gibb, Huckle, & Clements, 1994;Topp & Doyle, 2004). However, T. repens has been shown to need a good supply of water for growth (Foulds, 1978).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishment and Early Yield Development of Five Possible Alternatives to Trifolium repens as a Grassland Legume

Küchenmeister

Küchenmeister²,

Wrage³

et al. 2012

JAS

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The performance of Trifolium repens as the main grassland legume in temperate climates may decrease under climate change due to more frequent water shortages. This calls for alternative legumes with agronomic potential. We examined germination rates, establishment, winter tolerance and yield potential of Medicago lupulina, Medicago falcata, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus uliginosus and Onobrychis viciifolia both in monoculture and in mixture with Lolium perenne in a two-year container experiment. Germination and establishment of all alternative legumes were comparable to T. repens except of M. falcata with a retarded initial development. L. uliginosus was the only species with an insufficient winter tolerance. In pure stands M. lupulina and L. corniculatus showed a yield potential almost as high as of T. repens. However, their performance in mixture with L. perenne was lower than T. repens. This has to be considered with the choice of less competitive grass partner species when designing seed mixtures.

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Effect of supplementation on production by spring‐calving dairy cows grazing swards of differing clover content

Cited by 30 publications

References 6 publications

Managing variations in dairy cow nutrient supply under grazing

Managing variations in dairy cow nutrient supply under grazing

The effect of two contrasting grazing managements and level of concentrate supplementation on the performance of grazing dairy cows

Establishment and Early Yield Development of Five Possible Alternatives to Trifolium repens as a Grassland Legume

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