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The effects of grazing intensity on herbage consumption and animal production: IV. An evaluation of two methods for avoiding the rejection of fouled herbage by dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

G. W. Reid ,
J. F. D. Greenhalgh  and
J. N. Aitken
G. W. Reid
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
J. F. D. Greenhalgh
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
J. N. Aitken
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
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Summary

For phase I of a rotational grazing experiment (three grazing cycles; May–July) a group of nine cows (group S) were ‘conditioned’ to eat fouled herbage by being allowed to graze only on slurry-treated pasture (area 1), and two further groups of nine (groups H and C) grazed on an adjacent area (2) of untreated pasture. One-third of area 2 was harrowed after each grazing. During phase II (the fourth grazing cycle; August) group H grazed on the harrowed part and groups S and C grazed on the remainder of area 2. The herbage allowance was 15 kg dry matter per cow per day in phase I and 12 kg in phase II.

In phase I, group S cows ate significantly less than groups C and H combined (9·2 v. 10·5 kg organic matter per day), and lost weight (– 0·37 v. + 0–03 kg/day), but their milk yields were not significantly lower (16·1 v.16–6 kg/day). In phase II neither intake nor milk yield differed significantly between the three groups, but group S cows gained weight while the other two groups lost weight.

It was concluded that neither conditioning the cows nor harrowing the pasture was an effective means of avoiding rejection of fouled pasture.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 78 , Issue 3 , June 1972 , pp. 491 - 496
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1972

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References

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