Publication Date
1997
Description
The objectives of these experiments were to study the effects of three resting periods (RP) of elephant-grass pasture on milk production and composition of Holstein-Zebu cows. These trials were carried out during two consecutive rainy seasons (December to May) using 24 cows in each year. They were randomly assigned by blocks according to milk yield and live weight (LW) to four treatments: 30- day RP with no concentrate (30N), 30-day RP with concentrate (30C), 36 and 45-day RP with C (36C and 45C) in the first year. In the second year the treatments were: 30C, 30N, 36N and 45N. Concentrate was fed at the rate of 2 kg/cow/d. The paddocks were fertilized with 200 kg of N and K2O and 40 kg of P2O5/ha/year. A preliminary statistical analysis showed that after adjusting milk production data for the intake of concentrate, there was no effect of year (P>0.01). Therefore the effects of RP and concentrate feeding were estimated from data of the two years combined. A regression analysis showed a decrease of 75.4 kg (SE = 35.84) of milk/ha for each day past the 30th day of regrowth (P<0.01). Concentrate supplementation showed a marginal increase (P<0.01) of 0.6 kg of milk per kilogram of concentrate fed.
Citation
Deresz, F and Matos, L L., "Grazing Management of Elephant-Grass for Milk Production" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 72.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session29/72
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Grazing Management of Elephant-Grass for Milk Production
The objectives of these experiments were to study the effects of three resting periods (RP) of elephant-grass pasture on milk production and composition of Holstein-Zebu cows. These trials were carried out during two consecutive rainy seasons (December to May) using 24 cows in each year. They were randomly assigned by blocks according to milk yield and live weight (LW) to four treatments: 30- day RP with no concentrate (30N), 30-day RP with concentrate (30C), 36 and 45-day RP with C (36C and 45C) in the first year. In the second year the treatments were: 30C, 30N, 36N and 45N. Concentrate was fed at the rate of 2 kg/cow/d. The paddocks were fertilized with 200 kg of N and K2O and 40 kg of P2O5/ha/year. A preliminary statistical analysis showed that after adjusting milk production data for the intake of concentrate, there was no effect of year (P>0.01). Therefore the effects of RP and concentrate feeding were estimated from data of the two years combined. A regression analysis showed a decrease of 75.4 kg (SE = 35.84) of milk/ha for each day past the 30th day of regrowth (P<0.01). Concentrate supplementation showed a marginal increase (P<0.01) of 0.6 kg of milk per kilogram of concentrate fed.
