Interaction between herbage mass and time of herbage allocation modifies milk production, grazing behaviour and nitrogen partitioning of dairy cows
Ignacio E. Beltrán A C , Pablo Gregorini B , Alvaro Morales C , Oscar A. Balocchi D and Rubén G. Pulido C E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Graduate school, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, PO Box 567, Valdivia, Chile.
B Department of Agricultural Science, Lincoln University, PO Box 7647, Lincoln, New Zealand.
C Animal Science Institute, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, PO Box 567, Valdivia, Chile.
D Animal Production Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, PO Box 567, Valdivia, Chile.
E Corresponding author. Email: rpulido@uach.cl
Animal Production Science 59(10) 1837-1846 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN18183
Submitted: 7 February 2018 Accepted: 12 March 2019 Published: 30 August 2019
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the interaction effects between herbage mass and time of herbage allocation on milk production, grazing behaviour and nitrogen partitioning in lactating dairy cows. Forty-four Holstein Friesian cows were grouped according to milk production (24.7 ± 2.8 kg), bodyweight (580.6 ± 51.7 kg), days in milk (74 ± 17.1) and body condition score (3.1 ± 0.3), and then assigned randomly to one of four treatments: (1) L-AM: access to new herbage allocation after morning milking with herbage mass of 2000 kg DM/ha, (2) L-PM: access to new herbage allocation after afternoon milking with herbage mass of 2000 kg DM/ha, (3) M-AM: access to new herbage allocation after morning milking with herbage mass of 3000 kg DM/ha, and (4) M-PM: access to new herbage allocation after afternoon milking with herbage mass of 3000 kg DM/ha. All cows received a daily low herbage allowance of 21 kg DM measured above ground level, 3.0 kg DM of grass silage and 3.5 kg DM of concentrate. Herbage intake was similar between treatments, averaging 8.3 kg DM/day (P > 0.05). Total grazing time was lower for M-PM compared with other treatments (P < 0.01). Milk production was greater for M-AM and M-PM compared with L-PM (P < 0.05). Urea in milk and plasma were greater for L-AM than L-PM and M-PM (P < 0.01). Similarly, rumen ammonia was greater for L-AM compared with M-PM and M-AM (P < 0.05). Nitrogen intake was 13.6% greater for L-AM than L-PM, and 17.5% greater for L-AM than M-PM (P < 0.05). Nitrogen use efficiency was 22.1% greater for M-PM than L-AM, and 11.8% greater for M-PM than L-PM (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the best management combination was observed when a medium herbage mass was delivered in the afternoon, maintaining a low nitrogen intake, low urinary nitrogen excretion and high milk production.
Additional keywords: autumn grazing, nitrogen use efficiency, perennial pasture, urine nitrogen.
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