Journal article
Milk production and composition of mid-lactation cows consuming perennial ryegrass-and chicory-based diets
SK Muir, GN Ward, JL Jacobs
Journal of Dairy Science | ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC | Published : 2014
Abstract
Dry matter intakes (DMI), nutrient selection, and milk production responses of dairy cows grazing 3 herbage-based diets offered at 2 allowances were measured. The 2 allowances were 20 (low) and 30 (high) kg of dry matter (DM)/cow per day and these were applied to 3 herbage types: perennial ryegrass (PRG) and chicory (CHIC+) monocultures and a mixed sward of chicory and perennial ryegrass (MIX). The CHIC+ diet was supplemented with alfalfa hay (approximately 2. kg of DM/cow per day) to maintain dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration and all diets were supplemented with energy-based pellets (6. kg of DM/cow per day). Holstein-Friesian dairy cows averaging 136 ± 30 d in milk were a..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to K. Rentsch, S. Burch, J. Hollier, and M. Brophy [Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPT), Horsham, Victoria, Australia], and DemoDAIRY (Terang, Victoria, Australia) farm staff for technical assistance. Analysis of milk and herbage fatty acids and milk protein fractions were undertaken at AgResearch (Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand). Herbage and supplement samples were analyzed for nutritive value using NIRS at DEPT. This research was funded by the Victorian DEPT and Dairy Australia (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia).