Theme 22: Grazing Management
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).
Citation
Deresz, Fermino, "Effect of Different Strategies of Management of Elephantgrass on Pasture Availability and Milk Yield of Crossbred Holstein X Zebu Cows" (2021). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 31.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/19/22/31
Included in
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).
