Feeding management, production and performance of 13 pasture-based dairy farms in a Mediterranean environment

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 1940 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. P. McDonnell ◽  
M. vH. Staines ◽  
B. E. Edmunds ◽  
R. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Cow Milk ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Feeding Management ◽  
Grazed Pasture ◽  
And Performance

Physical performance data from 13 dairy farms in Western Australia, six feeding all concentrate in the milking parlour and seven feeding a portion of concentrate in a partial mixed ration (PMR) with forage, were collected between March 2012 and June 2013. Each farm was visited 13 times at intervals of 4–6 weeks, and feed intake and milk production was recorded on each visit. Four farms had access to fresh pasture all year round via irrigation. Milk yield (MY) and composition data was calculated daily from milk processor records. Pasture dry matter intake (DMI) was estimated based on metabolisable energy supply and requirements according to published feeding standards. All milk and feed-related measures were significantly affected by visit date (P < 0.01). Mean annual concentrate intake and MY was 2082 ± 344 kg/cow and 7679 ± 684 kg/cow, respectively. Daily concentrate DMI was greatest in May 2012 (8.9 ± 2.2 kg/cow), near the end of the non-grazing season, and lowest in August 2012 (5.1 ± 1.5 kg/cow). On an average annual basis, PMR farms provided 22 ± 15% of total concentrate fed as part of a PMR, and 28 ± 11% of total concentrates and by-products fed as part of a PMR. Daily grazed pasture DMI was highest on all farms in September 2012 (12.9 ± 2.4 kg/cow), and averaged 6.6 kg/cow on the four irrigated farms between January and May. Daily yield of energy-corrected milk was highest in September 2012 (26.9 kg/cow) and lowest in January 2013 (21.9 kg/cow). Milk fat content was highest in summer and lowest in winter; the reverse was true of milk protein. Feed conversion efficiency was significantly affected by visit date, but mean feed conversion efficiency was the same (1.37) for in-parlour and PMR farms. Overall there was some evidence that PMR feeding systems on Western Australian dairy farms are not optimised to their full potential, but a high degree of variability in performance between all farms was also apparent.

scholarly journals Development and testing of new performance measures for milksolids production per hectare

2007 ◽  
pp. 253-257
Author(s):  
C.B. Glassey
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Land Use Efficiency ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Use Efficiency

With increased use of feed from outside the effective milking area on dairy farms, milksolids (MS) per effective ha is no longer a sound basis for comparing farms and evaluating options for improving efficiency and profitability. Development of new, quantitative measures for feed and land use efficiency is required. These measures should take account of the extra land used to grow all feed types used for MS production and define how well the feed grown and purchased is converted into MS. Two methods were used to re-calculate MS per ha for six high performing farms (average of 2073 kg MS per effective ha) using a wide range of imported feed. Using these calculations, the farms averaged 1513 kg MS per total ha used and 1450 kg MS per ha produced from home grown pasture and crops. Yields of home grown pasture and crop harvested per effective ha ranged from 14.7 to 17.5 t DM per ha and feed conversion efficiency ranged from 85-94 kg MS per tonne DM. These benchmarks can be used to identify opportunities to improve pasture grown, harvested and converted into milksolids on NZ dairy farms. Keywords: milksolids per hectare, imported feed, pasture harvested per ha, feed conversion efficiency

Feed intake.

2021 ◽  
pp. 82-94
Author(s):  
Gordon McL. Dryden
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Residual Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Practical Factors

Abstract In this chapter the processes involve in regulating feed intake in animals are discussed. Topics also include: predicting feed intake; practical factors which affects intake; and relationship between intake and performance: residual feed intake and feed conversion efficiency.

The early weaning of pigs VII. The effect of level and source of protein in the diet of pigs weaned at 10 lb. live weight on subsequent performance and carcass quality

1961 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Blair
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Apparent Digestibility ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
And Performance

1. Dry-meal diets based on whitefish meal or soyabean oil meal, balanced in respect of minerals, and containing 28, 23 or 18% crude protein were given to pigs from 10 to 25 lb., and similar diets containing 18% crude protein were given from 25 to 40 lb. From 40 to 100 lb. and from 100 lb. to bacon weight all pigs were given the same diets with 16% crude protein and 14% crude protein, respectively.2. From 10 to 25 lb. live weight the results showed that:(a) With diets based on whitefish meal there was an improvement in growth rate of 11% (P < 0·05) and an improvement in feed conversion efficiency of 14% (P < 0·001) when the level of crude protein was increased from 18% to 23%. Growth rate and feed conversion efficiency were not improved further by increasing the level of crude protein from 23 to 28%.(b) With diets based on soyabean oil meal, feed conversion efficiency and growth rate were not improved by increasing the protein in the diet from 18 to 23%, and performance was similar to that on the 18% protein diet based on whitefish meal. Pigs fed on the soyabean diet containing 28% protein were unthrifty and grew very slowly; some showed gastric ulceration.(c) Consumption of the diets containing 18% crude protein was 8% higher (P < 0·05) than consumption of the other diets.(d) Apparent digestibility of the dry matter of the diets, as measured by the chromic oxide marker method, rose as the pigs grew older, and apparent digestibility of the dry matter and crude protein of the diets based on soyabean oil meal was consistently lower than when whitefish meal was the main supplementary source of protein.

Feed conversion efficiency and marginal milk production responses of pasture-fed dairy cows offered supplementary grain during an extended lactation

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Auldist ◽  
C. Grainger ◽  
K. L. Macmillan ◽  
L. C. Marett ◽  
M. Hannah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Energy Concentration ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Stage Of Lactation ◽  
Milk Solids ◽  
Extended Lactation

A study was conducted to quantify the feed conversion efficiency (FCE) and marginal milk responses of pasture-fed cows offered supplementary grain during an extended lactation of 670 days. The experiment used three groups of 10 Holstein cows in four experimental periods of 4 weeks, beginning when cows were ~60, 240, 420 and 530 days in milk (DIM). In each experimental period, cows were individually fed diets of either freshly cut perennial ryegrass pasture supplemented with triticale (60 and 420 DIM), or pasture silage and lucerne hay supplemented with wheat (240 and 530 DIM). On each occasion, one of the three groups was offered additional grain at 0.0, 2.5 or 5.0 kg DM/cow.day. Milk production was measured daily and concentrations of milk fat and protein weekly. These data were used to calculate FCE and marginal responses of milk, energy-corrected milk and milk solids (fat + protein). Results showed FCE was highest at 60 DIM and lowest at 530 DIM. Increased DM intake because of increased grain intake led to increased FCE at 240 and 530 DIM when the energy concentration of forage was lowest. Marginal milk responses were not different at any stage of lactation. For milk solids and energy-corrected milk, responses at 240 DIM were the same as at 530 DIM, but greater than at 60 DIM and 420 DIM. This study provides the first Australian data about FCE and marginal milk production responses to grain supplementation of pasture-fed cows undergoing an extended lactation. The results should provide farmers with confidence that good responses to grain can be achieved even in the latter part of a 22-month lactation.

scholarly journals Evolution in Configuration and Productivity of New Zealand Hill Country Sheep and Beef Cattle Systems

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 531
Author(s):  
Januarius Gobilik ◽  
Stephen Todd Morris ◽  
Cory Matthew
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Metabolic Energy ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Cattle Systems

Metabolic energy budgeting (MEB) was used to evaluate evolution over 30 years (1980–1981 to 2010–2011) in New Zealand southern North Island ‘hill country’ sheep and beef cattle systems. MEB calculates energy required by animals for body weight maintenance, weight gain or loss, pregnancy, and lactation to estimate the system feed demand and thereby provide a basis for calculating feed conversion efficiency. Historic production systems were reconstructed and modeled using averaged data from industry surveys and data from owners’ diaries of three case-study farms and reviewed for patterns of change over time. The modeling indicated that pasture productivity was 11% lower and herbage harvested was 14% lower in 2010–2011 than in the early 1980s. This productivity decline is attributable to warmer, drier summer weather in recent years. However, primarily through increased lambing percentage, feed conversion efficiency based on industry data improved over the study period from 25 to 19 kg feed consumed per kg lamb weaned, while meat production rose from 137 to 147 kg per ha per year. Similar improvements were observed for the three case farms. The New Zealand MEB model was found effective for analysis of tropical beef production systems in Sabah, Malaysia.

Heterozygous depletion of pik3r1 improves growth and feed conversion efficiency in Gibel carp (Carassius gibelio)

Aquaculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 737207
Author(s):  
Jianfei Huang ◽  
Chuang Shi ◽  
Yanping Gao ◽  
Jingzhi Su ◽  
Yuqin Shu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Gibel Carp ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Carassius Gibelio

scholarly journals Effect of forage to concentrate ratio and duration of feeding on growth and feed conversion efficiency of male lambs

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noel A Claffey ◽  
Alan G Fahey ◽  
Vasiliki Gkarane ◽  
Aidan P Moloney ◽  
Frank J Monahan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Carcass Weight ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Viable Option ◽  
Financial Return ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Ad Libitum ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Concentrate Inclusion

Abstract Rations (DM basis) for spring-born male lambs consisting of concentrates ad libitum (CON), 50:50 (50% concentrate:50% forage), and forage ad libitum (FORG) were evaluated across feeding periods of three durations (36, 54, and 72 d). Lambs on CON diets were offered ad libitum access to concentrate along with 400 g of fresh weight silage (daily), while 50:50 diets were offered 0.9 and 3.0 kg of concentrate and silage, respectively. Lambs on FORG were offered ad libitum access to 25.5% DM silage. These rations were fed to 99 spring-born male Texel cross Scottish Blackface lambs which were assigned to a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. Lambs were slaughtered following completion of their respective treatments. Lambs fed CON diets had greater ADG, FCE, and carcass weight (P &lt; 0.001) and carcasses with greater conformation score (P &lt; 0.001) than lambs fed 50:50 or FORG diets. Duration of feeding had no effect on production variables across all three concentrate inclusion levels. It was concluded that the inclusion of concentrates is needed to adequately finish lambs fed indoors. Feeding lamb’s 50:50 diets resulted in modest responses and may be a viable option for finishing lambs or to maintain growth in lambs when the cost of concentrate feed is high relative to the financial return on the lamb meat.

scholarly journals Effects of feed intake and genetics on tissue nitrogen-15 enrichment and feed conversion efficiency in sheep1

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (12) ◽  
pp. 5849-5855 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Cheng ◽  
C. M. Logan ◽  
R. J. Dewhurst ◽  
S. Hodge ◽  
H. Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Tissue Nitrogen

scholarly journals Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE) in Relation to Reproductive Performance of Sow

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 2915-2919
Author(s):  
Kandarpa Boruah ◽  
Jitendra Saharia ◽  
Simson Soren ◽  
Karuna Saikia ◽  
Arindam Chakraborty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Feed Conversion Efficiency
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