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A forage allowance by forage type interaction impacts the daily milk yield of early lactation dairy cows

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-21, 17:28 authored by Adam LangworthyAdam Langworthy, Mark FreemanMark Freeman, James HillsJames Hills, McLaren, DK, Richard RawnsleyRichard Rawnsley, Pembleton, KG
We tested for a forage allowance effect on the milk yield of early lactation dairy cow herds grazing swards sown with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) relative to perennial ryegrass alone. The examined allowances consisted of offering 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 or 25 kg of dry matter (DM)/cow per day of grazeable herbage, with diverse swards sown as mixtures and spatially adjacent monocultures. After adapting cows to their assigned forage type for 8 days, treatment effects on milk yield and composition, blood metabolites (beta-hydroxybutyrate, non-esterified fatty acids and urea concentrations), body weight change, forage intake and selection differentials for forage species and certain nutrients were monitored over 7 days. We confirmed a forage allowance effect on milk yield improvements in dairy cows grazing diverse swards relative to perennial ryegrass monocultures. Improvements in milk yield were evident at forage allowances of 14 to 20 kg of DM/cow per day, diminishing at the highest allowance of 25 kg of DM/cow per day. Improvements in milk yield for the mixture and spatially adjacent monocultures peaked at forage allowances of 18 and 16 kg of DM/cow per day, equalling increases of 1.3 and 1.2 kg of milk/cow per day, respectively.

Funding

Dairy Australia Limited

History

Publication title

Animals

Volume

13

Issue

8

Article number

1406

Number

1406

Pagination

1-18

ISSN

2076-2615

Department/School

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA)

Publisher

MDPIAG

Place of publication

Switzerland

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Dairy cattle