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Factors Affecting the Consumption of Sudan Grass by Dairy Cows¹

Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Delaware, Newark

ABSTRACT

Investigations of factors affecting the consumption of Sudan grass were made over a 6-yr. period. In each of the first 2 yr. three cows were hand-fed cut forage; whereas, in each of the remaining 4 yr. three cows were hand-fed cut forage and three cows simultaneously allowed to graze. A combination of internal and external indicators was used to determine the digestibility and intake of the grazed forage. The daily intake of green forage, by years, ranged from 100 lb. in 1957 to 228 lb. in 1953 for the hand-fed cows, and ranged from 119 lb. in 1955 to 251 lb. in 1953 for the grazing cows. The daily intake of dry matter by hand-fed cows ranged from 23.1 lb. in 1957 to 35.1 lb. in 1952. Each year the grazing cows consumed more forage dry matter than the hand-fed cows. The range of intake was from 25.2 lb. in 1955 to 34.2 lb. in 1957. This extreme variation in intake indicates rather great variation in the quantity of nutrients available for milk production. Dry matter digestibility had a range from 63.6% in 1955 to 71.3% in 1951 with hand-fed cows. The digestibility of dry matter in grazing trials, which were run simultaneously with the hand-fed trials, was always about four percentage points higher than in the hand-fed trials. A very high correlation was noted between dry matter intake and the total rainfall of the previous month (r = .985). The intake of dry matter was not significantly correlated with the dry matter content of the forage (r = .317); however, the intake of green forage was significantly correlated with forage dry matter content (r = –.855).

¹ Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station Miscellaneous Publication No. 349.