Engormix.com / Animal Feed / Additives and feedstuffs in dairy cattle nutrition

Forage utilization efficiency: an Australian perspective

Published: December 18, 2007

Summary

In recent times there has been a global shift back to pasture-based dairy farming led largely by the “clean green” push. Although philosophically this may be the correct move by the dairy industry, care must be exercised that it is achieved in a thoughtful, controlled way in order for the appropriate management to be employed and sensible decisions made. The danger is in embracing radical chang...

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Nigel Lok

20 de diciembre de 2007

Good article, but tables 4 & 5 are missing. NDF intake according to Israeli research is 1.3% of BW Returns on feeding are greatly enhanced if concentrates are allocated as % of BW - BW determines feed intake and any typical pasture herd BW will vary from 280 kg to 650 kg, so allocating concentrates on a flat rate basis or as g/l is not efficient. To do the above you require a management system that not only records milk, but also butterfat and body weight at each milking. Such a system can track BCS during lactation and feed more concentrates, or less, to keep the cow on her ideal weight curve. This can be done individually according to each cows unique characteristics. For more info follow this link: http://www.afimilk.com/page.asp?info_id=8293 Nigel Lok, South Africa

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