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Nitrogen-Fertilized Orchardgrass Compared with Alfalfa at Different Levels of Concentrate Feeding for Dairy Cows^{1, 2,}

Department of Animal Sciences, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Sussex

ABSTRACT

Nitrogen-fertilized orchardgrass and alfalfa were compared with regard to forage intake, milk production, milk composition, and weight changes, using 16 cows over three lactations. Forages were compared at four grain levels (0, 524, 1,048, and 1,572 kg in 245 days).

Average forage dry matter intakes in 245 days were 13.5 kg daily on alfalfa and 10.9 kg on orchardgrass. Corresponding average daily FCM production was 15.3 kg on alfalfa and 13.2 kg on orchardgrass. Average milk fat percentages were essentially the same on the alfalfa (3.76) and grass (3.72) rations. Lower intake of the grass forage was associated with a significantly lower SNF percentage in milk produced on that ration (alfalfa 8.53 and grass 8.44). Changes in body weight indicated that cows utilized more body reserves for lactation when fed the grass ration than when fed alfalfa. Responses to grain levels were similar on both forages. Forage dry matter intake decreased 0.51 ± 0.04 kg and FCM production increased 0.92 ± 0.09 kg for each additional kilogram of grain fed. Response in milk yield with added grain was essentially linear. Higher milk yield among cows of higher potential was primarily associated with their larger size and greater voluntary intake of forage per unit size.

¹ Paper of the Journal Series, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Butgers—The State University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

² The data are from a thesis submitted by the senior author to the graduate faculty of Rutgers—The State University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

³ Present address—Department of Animal Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine.