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The weight and concentration of body components in high genetic merit Holstein-Friesian dairy cows managed on four different grassland-based feeding regimes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

V. B. Woods ,
C. P. Ferris  and
F. J. Gordon
V. B. Woods*
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, UK
C. P. Ferris
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, UK
F. J. Gordon
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, UK
*
†E-mail: vanessa.woods@dardni.gov.uk
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Abstract

It is well established that the genetic merit of the Holstein-Friesian dairy cow for milk production has increased over the past 20 years. Previous studies have examined the effect of feeding system on indices of body tissue reserves of medium genetic merit Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. The aim of the current study was to examine the weight and concentration of body components in high genetic merit Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, managed on four different grassland-based feeding regimes, using direct measures of body composition. Results indicate that there was no significant effect of different grassland-based feeding regimes on the weight or composition of body components of high genetic merit cows. Therefore, high levels of cow performance can be sustained from very different grassland-based systems of milk production without having a detrimental effect on body tissue reserves.

Keywords

carcass compositionconcentratesdairy cowsgrass silage
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 81 , Issue 1 , August 2005 , pp. 179 - 184
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2005

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