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Simplified rotational grazing management of dairy cows: effects of rates of stocking and concentrate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. Hoden ,
J. L. Peyraud ,
A. Muller ,
L. Delaby ,
P. Faverdin ,
J. R. Peccatte  and
M. Fargetton
A. Hoden
Affiliation:
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Station de Recherches sur la Vache Laitière, 35590 St Gilles, France
J. L. Peyraud
Affiliation:
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Station de Recherches sur la Vache Laitière, 35590 St Gilles, France
A. Muller
Affiliation:
INRA Service d'Expérimentation Animale, Le Pin au Haras, 61310 Exmes, France
L. Delaby
Affiliation:
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Station de Recherches sur la Vache Laitière, 35590 St Gilles, France
P. Faverdin
Affiliation:
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Station de Recherches sur la Vache Laitière, 35590 St Gilles, France
J. R. Peccatte
Affiliation:
INRA Service d'Expérimentation Animale, Le Pin au Haras, 61310 Exmes, France
M. Fargetton
Affiliation:
INRA Service d'Expérimentation Animale, Le Pin au Haras, 61310 Exmes, France
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Summary

An experiment was carried out in Normandy between 1986 and 1988 over c. 6 months in each year, using a simplified rotational grazing technique (two paddocks in spring, four in autumn) with a total of 162 high-yielding cows (mean milk yield of 30·0 kg/day at turn-out). Three stocking rates, designated control (C: 2·3 cows/ha over the total area of the system), moderate (M: 2·6 cows/ha = 115% of C) and high (H: 3·0 cows/ha = 130% of C), were compared at two rates of concentrate supplement, 3·7 kg/cow per day and 0·5 kg/cow per day. Individual milk yield differed by a non-significant 5% between the extreme stocking rates (21·3 v. 20·3 kg fat-corrected milk (FCM) for treatments C and H, respectively). Milk production/ha was 23% greater in the H treatment (9816 v. 7970 kg FCM for H and C, respectively). Concentrate supplementation led, on average, to a 9% milk yield improvement (21·8 v. 20·0 kg FCM for high and low rates, respectively), i.e. a mean efficiency of 0·6 kg FCM/kg supplement. This response tended to be greater in the higher-yielding cows and for the high stocking rate. The sward measurements contributed to a better understanding of herbage utilization by the cows.

Type
Animals
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 116 , Issue 3 , June 1991 , pp. 417 - 428
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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References

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