Theme 22: Grazing Management

Presenter Information

Fermino Deresz, EMBRAPA, Brazil

Description

The trial was done to study different strategies of pasture management on milk production of cows grazing Elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.). The treatments were: Elephantgrass with 30 days of resting and fertilized monthly (30MF), fertilized every two months (30BF). Elephantgrass with 45 days of resting and a stubble height of 90-100 cm (45HS) or a stubble height of 40-50 cm (45LS). The stubble height for treatments 30MF and 30BF was 90-100 cm. The study was done using six crossbred Holstein x Zebu cows/treatment, with 100 days of lactation, on average. The experimental design was a completely randomized block design with two replication. The stocking rate was 4.5 cows/ha and no concentrate was fed. The pasture was fertilized with 200 kg/ha/year of N and K2O. It was also applied 40 kg/ha/year of P2O5 and 1,000 kg/ha/year of dolomitic limestone. The average fat corrected (4%) milk yield was 10.3, 10.5, 9.3 and 9.2 kg/cow/day for treatments 30MF, 30BF, 45HS and 45LS, respectively. There were no effects (P> 0.05) of stubble height or fertilization frequency, but the treatments with 30-day resting produced more (P< 0.05) milk than those grazing at 45-day resting (10.4 versus 9.3). The overall average dry matter availability during the period was 1,652, 1,465, 1,821 and 1,707 kg/ha/cycle for the treatments 30MF, 30BF, 45HS and 45LS, respectively, and there was no treatment difference (P> 0.05).

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Effect of Different Strategies of Management of Elephantgrass on Pasture Availability and Milk Yield of Crossbred Holstein X Zebu Cows

The trial was done to study different strategies of pasture management on milk production of cows grazing Elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.). The treatments were: Elephantgrass with 30 days of resting and fertilized monthly (30MF), fertilized every two months (30BF). Elephantgrass with 45 days of resting and a stubble height of 90-100 cm (45HS) or a stubble height of 40-50 cm (45LS). The stubble height for treatments 30MF and 30BF was 90-100 cm. The study was done using six crossbred Holstein x Zebu cows/treatment, with 100 days of lactation, on average. The experimental design was a completely randomized block design with two replication. The stocking rate was 4.5 cows/ha and no concentrate was fed. The pasture was fertilized with 200 kg/ha/year of N and K2O. It was also applied 40 kg/ha/year of P2O5 and 1,000 kg/ha/year of dolomitic limestone. The average fat corrected (4%) milk yield was 10.3, 10.5, 9.3 and 9.2 kg/cow/day for treatments 30MF, 30BF, 45HS and 45LS, respectively. There were no effects (P> 0.05) of stubble height or fertilization frequency, but the treatments with 30-day resting produced more (P< 0.05) milk than those grazing at 45-day resting (10.4 versus 9.3). The overall average dry matter availability during the period was 1,652, 1,465, 1,821 and 1,707 kg/ha/cycle for the treatments 30MF, 30BF, 45HS and 45LS, respectively, and there was no treatment difference (P> 0.05).