Theme 19: Use of Supplements
Description
Objectives of this study were to determine the kinds and the percents of forages fed to dairy cows in the whole year. Data were taken weekly by the dairy farmers for one year, including kinds and weights of forages fed to dairy cows, the heads of milking cows, dry cows and heifers. Dairy farmer A used napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum) green chop 68.2%, napiergrass silage 15.3%, pangolagrass (Digitaria decumbens) hay 3.2% and imported bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay 13.3% to feed cows. Dairy farmer B fed cows with napiergrass green chop 65.1%, pangolagrass 13.0% and imported hays 21.9%, i.e., bermudagrass, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), redtop (Agrostis giantea), oat (Avena sativa) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Dairy farmer C fed dairy cows on corn (Zea mays) silage 24.0% and green chop 33.5%, pangolagrass hay 9.1% and imported hays 33.4%, i.e., bermudagrass, alfalfa and timothy (Phleum pratense). Dairy farmer D purchased total mixed ration 58.6% to feed cows. The other forages were corn green chop 14.0%, bermudagrass hay 11.6% and timothy hay 8.6%. Dairy farmer E used corn silage 38.7%, pangolagrass hay 36.5% and hayladge 8.1%, alfalfa hay 14.1%, oat hay and agricultural by-product to feed cows. The forages could be provided steadily when forage crops grew vigorously from April to November. Forage yield decreased after November. Thus, the forages were not available enough to feed cows and the imported hays increased. It was suggested that dairy farmers might make hay or silage during forage growth seasons to keep forages available enough in the whole year.
Included in
Changes of Forages Fed to Dairy Cows in the Whole Year in Taiwan
Objectives of this study were to determine the kinds and the percents of forages fed to dairy cows in the whole year. Data were taken weekly by the dairy farmers for one year, including kinds and weights of forages fed to dairy cows, the heads of milking cows, dry cows and heifers. Dairy farmer A used napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum) green chop 68.2%, napiergrass silage 15.3%, pangolagrass (Digitaria decumbens) hay 3.2% and imported bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay 13.3% to feed cows. Dairy farmer B fed cows with napiergrass green chop 65.1%, pangolagrass 13.0% and imported hays 21.9%, i.e., bermudagrass, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), redtop (Agrostis giantea), oat (Avena sativa) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Dairy farmer C fed dairy cows on corn (Zea mays) silage 24.0% and green chop 33.5%, pangolagrass hay 9.1% and imported hays 33.4%, i.e., bermudagrass, alfalfa and timothy (Phleum pratense). Dairy farmer D purchased total mixed ration 58.6% to feed cows. The other forages were corn green chop 14.0%, bermudagrass hay 11.6% and timothy hay 8.6%. Dairy farmer E used corn silage 38.7%, pangolagrass hay 36.5% and hayladge 8.1%, alfalfa hay 14.1%, oat hay and agricultural by-product to feed cows. The forages could be provided steadily when forage crops grew vigorously from April to November. Forage yield decreased after November. Thus, the forages were not available enough to feed cows and the imported hays increased. It was suggested that dairy farmers might make hay or silage during forage growth seasons to keep forages available enough in the whole year.
