Effects of post-grazing herbage height and concentrate feeding on milk production and major milk fatty acids of dairy cows in mid-lactation

Abstract

Milk fatty acids (FA) were compared in mid-lactation dairy cows in four feeding systems combining grazing management and supplementation. The four treatments were factorial combinations of compressed herbage grazed to 3·7 or 4·6 cm post-grazing height, with or without concentrate feeding (3·6 kg cow−1 d−1). Milk yield and composition were measured for four groups of eight Friesian × Jersey dairy cows over 3 weeks in mid-lactation for cows that had grazed treatments for 64 d from early spring. Milk yield was higher in cows fed concentrate plus herbage (23·9 kg d−1 cow−1) than cows fed herbage only (20·3 kg d−1 cow−1). Milk fat percentage was higher in cows fed herbage only (5·5%) than that fe..