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Forage Growth and Performance of Grazing Dairy Cows Supplemented with Concentrate and Chopped or Long Hay¹

Department of Dairy and Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802

ABSTRACT

Holstein and Brown Swiss cows were in three groups of eight in a 3 x 3 Latin square design with 4-wk periods. Cows averaged 88 d in lactation at start of trial. All cows simultaneously grazed grass and clover pastures on a rotational basis. Supplement treatments were concentrate (A), concentrate with 10% added chopped hay (B), and concentrate plus 1 kg long hay/cow daily (C). Concentrate was offered at 1 kg/3 kg 4% fat-corrected milk to cows on A and C, and 1 kg/2.7 kg to those on B. Forage growth, amounts available for grazing, and average dry matter intake were measured by clipping subsamples prior to and after each grazing and by use of cages placed in the field.

Milk yields and milk fat percentages were 27.1, 3.34; 27.9, 3.32; and 28.3, 3.20 for treatments A, B, and C, respectively. Differences between A and C were significant. Milk fat percentage decreased moderately when cows first went to pasture.

There were no treatment differences in fat yield, milk protein percentage, yield of fat-corrected milk, rumen fluid composition, or body weight gain.

Available forage per cow exceeded 22 kg dry matter/cow daily except during one 10-d period toward the end of the trial when it amounted to 16.6 kg. Intake of dry matter from pasturage, measured by the sward cutting technique, averaged 14.5 kg./cow daily over the 12 wk.

¹ Authorized for publication on August 30, 1985 as Paper Number 7239 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Estacion Experimental, Institute Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria, cc 276-7620, Balcarce, Argentina.

This article has been cited by other articles:

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