Effect of daily herbage allowance on sward quality and milk performance of grazing dairy cows

  1. Roca-Fernández A.I. 1
  2. González-Rodríguez A. 1
  3. Vázquez-Yáñez O.P 1
  1. 1 Agrarian Research Centre of Mabegondo. PO Box 10, 15080 La Coruña, Spain
Actas:
Grassland farming and land management systems in mountainous regions. Proceedings of the 16th Symposium of the European Grassland Federation Gumpenstein, Austria August 29th - August 31st 2011

Editorial: European Grassland Federation

ISBN: 978-3-902559-65-4

Año de publicación: 2011

Páginas: 151-153

Tipo: Aportación congreso

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Resumen

The aim of this study was to analyse milk production of two herds (72 spring- and autumncalving Holstein-Friesian dairy cows) in response to two levels of daily herbage allowance(DHA): high (H, 30 kg DM cow-1 day-1) and low (L, 25 kg DM cow-1 day-1); determining twostocking rates (low and high), imposed during spring/summer, in rotationally grazed (H, 4 vs.L, 5 rotations) mixed perennial ryegrass and white clover swards. Milk yield and total DMintake were similar in both treatments. Pasture DM intake was slightly lower with low DHA,but more grazing days were achieved. Increasing stocking rate (SR) reduced DHA and postgrazing sward height but increased herbage utilization enough to obtain higher milk yield dueto improved sward quality (higher crude protein content, lower acid and neutral detergent¿EUH 0LONSURWHLQDQGIDWFRQWHQWVZHUHKLJKHUDWORZ'+$7KXVLQFUHDVLQJ65GHVSLWHdecreasing DHA, can improve sward and milk quality without reducing milk yield per cow.