Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-wq484 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T18:49:52.575Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of grazing intensity on herbage consumption and animal production: III. Dairy cows grazed at two intensities on clean or contaminated pasture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. F. D. Greenhalgh  and
G. W. Reid
J. F. D. Greenhalgh
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
G. W. Reid
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

On three occasions in May—July one half of a ryegrass pasture was grazed intensively by cattle and the other was mown. In August and September these areas, designated fouled (F) and clean (C) respectively, were each strip-grazed by two groups of five cows. One group on each area had a herbage allowance of 11·4 kg dry matter per cow per day (C11 and F11) and the other 20·4 kg (C20 and F20).

Before the August-September grazing the fouled area had 2·8% of its surface covered by faeces. After this grazing 23 % of the F n area and 34 % of the F20 area were classified as having been rejected by the cows. However, the upper parts of the sward on these rejected areas were in fact grazed. There were only small differences in N and soluble-carbohydrate contents between the herbages offered and rejected.

Organic-matter digestibility (%) and intake (kg/cow per day) for the four groups were: C11, 73·0 and 10·5; C20, 74·9 and 11·7; F11 , 74·4 and 9·6; F20, 77·0 and 10·6. The C11 cows consumed all the herbage allowed to them, but the F11 rejected 13%. Digestible organic matter intake was affected more by grazing intensity than by fouling; this was the case also for milk yield, milk composition and the live-weight change of the cows.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 72 , Issue 2 , April 1969 , pp. 223 - 228
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

, Anon. (1967). When cows turn up their noses at lush grazing. Frmrs Wkly, 11 08, p. 45.Google Scholar
Clegg, K. M. (1956). The application of the anthrone reagent to the estimation of starch in cereals. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 7, 40–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Corbett, J. L., Langlands, J. P. & Reid, G. W. (1963). Effects of season of growth and digestibility of herbage on intake by grazing dairy cows. Anim. Prod. 5, 119–29.Google Scholar
Corbett, J. L., Langlands, J. P., Mcdonald, I. & Pullar, J. D. (1966). Comparison by direct animal calorimetry of the net energy values of an early and a late season growth of herbage. Anim. Prod. 8, 13–27.Google Scholar
Greenhalgh, J. F. D., Reid, G. W., Aitken, J. N. & Florence, E. (1966). The effects of grazing intensity on herbage consumption and animal production. I. Short-term effects in strip-grazed dairy cows. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 67, 13–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenhalgh, J. F. D., Reid, G. W. & Aitken, J. N. (1967). The effects of grazing intensity on herbage consumption and animal production. II. Longer-term effects in strip-grazed dairy cows. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 69, 217–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maclusky, D. S. (1960). Some estimates of the areas of pasture fouled by the excreta of dairy cows. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 15, 181–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marten, G. C. & Donker, J. D. (1964a). Selective grazing induced by animal excreta. I. Evidence of occurrence and superficial remedy. J. Dairy Sci. 47, 773–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marten, G. C. & Donker, J. D. (1964b). Selective grazing induced by animal excreta. II. Investigation of a causal theory. J. Dairy Sci. 47, 871—4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marten, G. C. & Donker, J. D. (1966). Animal excrement as a factor influencing acceptability of grazed forage. Proc. 10th Int. Grassld Congr., Helsinki, pp. 359–63.Google Scholar
Norman, M. J. T. & Green, J. O. (1958). The local influence of cattle dung and urine upon the yield and botanical composition of permanent pasture. J. Br. Grassld Soc. 13, 39–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar