Herbage biomass and intake of beef cows with calves grazing a grass-legume pasture in southern Ontario

1998 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Marshall ◽  
C. P. Campbell ◽  
J. G. Buchanan-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
The Other ◽  
Pasture Grass ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Cow Calf ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Height Data

Intake and performance of 40 spring-calving cows with calves was investigated under a rotational grazing management system across three consecutive summers. A 19.2 ha pasture was divided into sixteen 1.2 ha fields with each field being further subdivided into eight 0.15 ha paddocks. Five cows with calves belonging to one of two breed groups (large vs. medium framed) and two body conditions (high vs. low) were randomly assigned to graze each of eight field pairs from May to October of each year. Paddocks not grazed by cow-calf pairs were grazed by yearling heifers or mechanically harvested as hay or silage. Grazing was managed by setting target sward heights for exit of each paddock at 8 to 10 cm and allowing a minimum of 25 to 30 d for regrowth. Paddocks were topclipped and fertilized with 34 kg ha−1 of nitrogen (N) immediately following the second grazing of each paddock. Sward surface height data were collected from 40 measurements taken immediately pre- and post-grazing in each paddock as well as during the regrowth period. Herbage biomass and quality was determined in year 1 by handclipping 10 quadrats (1.22 m × 0.15 m) from each paddock pre- and post-grazing and by clipping 7 similar quadrats from alternate paddocks in each of the other 2 yr. Average pre-grazing sward heights were 24.8, 30.3 and 28.1 cm, in years 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Herbage biomass available for grazing averaged 7.59, 10.62 and 11.04 tonnes DM ha−1 for years 1, 2 and 3, respectively. A positive linear (r = 00.93 P < 0.0001) relationship was established between sward height (cm) and herbage biomass (kg DM ha−1) across all 3 yr. Intake of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy (ME) was higher for both large- and medium-framed cow-calf pairs in year 3 than in the other 2 yr. Both large- and medium-framed cows lost (P < 0.05) body condition in years 1 and 2, but gained in year 3. Cows from the low body condition group gained (P < 0.05) more than those from the high group in years 2 and 3. Medium-framed calves gained more (P < 0.05) in year 3 than in years 1 and 2. Body condition of cows grazing a multi-species grass-legume pasture can be maintained if not improved provided seasonal variations in quality and quantity are minimized. Key words: Beef cows, pasture, grass-legume, intake

The herbage intake and performance of autumn-calving beef cows and their calves when grazing continuously at two sward heights

1990 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
T. K. Whyte ◽  
K. Osoro
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Herbage Intake ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
Cow Performance ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Calving Difficulty

ABSTRACTThirty-nine Hereford × Friesian autumn-calving cows (mean calving date 17 September) and their Charolais-cross calves were used in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment to assess the effects of feeding level in winter and sward height in summer on intake and performance. Mean estimated metabolizable energy intakes during winter (30 October to 6 May) were 63 (L) or 92 (H) MJ/day. Two sward heights, 4·8 (SI) or 7·6 (Tl) cm, were imposed from turn-out to weaning on 3 July, and a further two sward heights, 4·7 (S2) or 8·0 (T2) cm, from weaning to housing on 1 October. At turn-out the H cows were 17 kg heavier (P > 0·05) than the L cows and their calves were 30 kg heavier (P < 0·01). Cow herbage intakes were significantly higher on the Tl and T2 treatments compared with the SI and S2 treatments as were live-weight changes: 0·94 v. –0·01 kg/day (P < 0·001) for Tl and SI treatments and 0·96 v. –0·18 kg/day (P < 0·001) for T2 and S2 treatments respectively. Calves on the Tl treatment had higher live-weight gains than those on the SI treatment (1·40 v. 0·63 kg/day; P < 0·001). After weaning the SI cows had significantly higher herbage organic matter intakes than the Tl cows (P < 0·05) and had significantly higher live-weight gains (0·51 v. 0·28 kg/day; P < 0·05). Calving difficulty and calf birth weight were not affected by any of the treatments. The results demonstrate that both previous and current level of nutrition have an effect on cow performance. When cows are turned out to pasture at body condition scores of 2·25 to 2·5, the sward heights recommended for spring-calving cows are equally appropriate for autumn-calving cows.

GRAZING BEHAVIOUR OF DAIRY COWS AND BODY CONDITION SCORE ASSOCIATED WITH SWARD CHARACTERISTICS OF FOUR PASTURE TYPES

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-226
Author(s):  
O. A. CASTELÁN-ORTEGA ◽  
C. G. MARTÍNEZ-GARCÍA ◽  
F. L. MOULD ◽  
P. DORWARD ◽  
G. C. MIRANDA-DE LA LAMA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Nutrient Intake ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Bite Rate ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Native Pastures ◽  
Grazing Behaviour

SUMMARYThe objectives were to assess the following: (1) the relationship between sward height and chemical composition of four pasture types in association with grazing behaviour and body condition score (BCS) of dairy cows, and (2) the possibility of developing predictive equations of the nutrient intake and grazing behaviour within a continued grazing system. Pasture type had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on nutrient supply from January to June for all pastures investigated. Ryegrass–white clover pasture (RW) had the highest metabolizable protein and metabolizable energy, followed by kikuyu pasture (KP), which was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than native pastures 1 and 2 (NP1 and NP2). The highest values for effective grazing time, bite rate and BCS were found when dairy cows grazed RW followed by KP, NP2 and NP1. The results suggested that pasture type and sward height influenced grazing behaviour and BCS of dairy cows during the dry season. In the same vein, RW showed higher effective grazing time, bite rate, nutrient intake and BCS than the other three pastures suggesting that RW pastures that appear to be more expensive than native pastures could result in superior cow performance.

scholarly journals Body condition scoring in relation to changes in body weight and performance in Belgian Blue double-muscled beef cows

2006 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo O. Fiems ◽  
Wim Van Caelenbergh ◽  
Sam De Campeneere ◽  
Daniël L. De Brabander
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Body Condition Scoring ◽  
And Performance

The health and performance of cows fed large amounts of urea

1979 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Royce J. Treacher ◽  
Anthony J. Stark ◽  
Keith A. Collis
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Fish Meal ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Ammonia Toxicity ◽  
Digestible Crude Protein ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Blood Glucose Concentrations ◽  
Degradable Protein

SUMMARYFrom 6 weeks before calving to the end of lactation 2 groups of 8 cows were fed a ration incorporating a dairy nut containing 29 g/kg urea or an isocaloric isonitrogenous nut containing fish-meal and groundnut. During the 18 weeks after calving, concentrates were fed to appetite. 305-d yields of milk (7023 and 5796 kg) and lactose (345.7 and 273.4 kg) were significantly lower in the urea-fed cows (P< 0·05). Intakes of dry matter, metabolizable energy and digestible crude protein were similar in both groups until 18 weeks after calving when feeding according to yield commenced, but by 6 weeks after calving the urea-fed cows lost only 5% of their immediate post-calving weight compared with 7% in the controls. There was no evidence of ammonia toxicity in the urea-fed cows. Blood glucose concentrations were similar in both groups, but higher serum urea concentrations in the urea-fed cows suggested that there was poor utilization of ingested N. A model proposed by Royet al.(1977) has been used to calculate the requirements of rumen-degradable protein and undegraded protein (UDP) of the 2 groups from their energy intakes and milk yields. Between 4 and 11 weeks post-calving, dietary requirement for UDP closely matched intake of UDP. It is concluded that UDP intake was a major factor in determining the peak milk yield. Mechanisms by which the degradability of the dietary protein might influence milk yield are discussed.

The effect of plane of nutrition in early lactation on the performance of beef cows

1979 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. G. Lowman ◽  
R. A. Edwards ◽  
S. H. Somerville ◽  
G. M. Jolly
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Mating Period ◽  
Digestible Crude Protein

ABSTRACTTwenty-one mature autumn-calving Blue Grey cows were divided into three groups for a 3-year change-over experiment, and each group was allocated to one of three planes of nutrition for the first 150 days of lactation during each year. Milk yields were recorded by machine milking twice daily. The three planes of nutrition corresponded to 1·63, 1·21 and 0·89 of the cow's maintenance allowance 12 h post partum. Increasing the plane of nutrition significantly (P<0·05) increased 150-day cumulative milk yield, but had no significant effect on milk composition. The extent of live-weight loss decreased significantly (P<0·001) as plane of nutrition increased and was reflected in cows maintaining better condition, measured as condition score, through the experimental period.The small 150-day cumulative milk yield response (32·8 kg per additional 10 MJ metabolizable energy and 62 g digestible crude protein/day) demonstrated the limitation of feeding beef cows for increased milk production in comparison with feeding the calf directly. However, the possible relationship between plane of nutrition, live-weight loss and fertility suggests an important limitation of under-feeding cows during the mating period. Within the constraints imposed, the medium treatment (64 MJ metabolizable energy and 516 g digestible crude protein/day) resulted in levels of cow performance similar to those currently recorded in commercial units. One of the major constraints in the present investigation was the high level of body reserves available in the cows at the start of lactation.

scholarly journals Effect of varying dietary crude protein and metabolizable energy levels on leg abnormalities and performance in broiler chickens

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leodan T Rodríguez-Ortega ◽  
Alejandro Rodríguez-Ortega ◽  
Fredy Mera-Zuñiga ◽  
Arturo Pro-Martínez ◽  
Filogonio J Hernández-Guzmán ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Dietary Crude Protein ◽  
And Performance

Effects of body condition, food intake and temporary calf separation on the duration of the post-partum anoestrous period and associated LH, FSH and prolactin concentrations in beef cows

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Wright ◽  
S. M. Rhind ◽  
A. J. F. Russel ◽  
T. K. Whyte ◽  
Alison J. McBean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Pulse Frequency ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Barley Straw ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Feeding Level ◽  
Condition Score

ABSTRACTAn experiment was conducted to examine factors affecting the length of the post-partum anoestrous period and associated effects on LH, FSH and prolactin. Forty-six cows (24 Hereford × Friesian and 22 Blue-Grey) ranging in body condition score at calving from 1·50 to 2·75 were used. They were individually fed chopped barley straw and concentrate at either 50 (low) or 91 (high) MJ metabolizable energy per day from calving. At 34 days post partum half the cows were separated from their calves for 48 h. The duration of the post-partum anoestrous period was estimated from progesterone concentrations in thrice weekly blood samples. Blood samples were collected every 20 min for 10 h periods immediately prior to calf separation, during the last 10 h of calf separation and 1 week later. All samples were analysed for LH, and every third sample was analysed for FSH and prolactin.There were no significant effects of genotype, feeding level or calf separation on the length of the post-partum anoestrous period. There was a negative association between body condition score at calving and the length of the anoestrous period, with each unit increase in body condition score reducing the anoestrous period by 43 (s.e. 20) days. There was some evidence that feeding level affected the number of thin cows (body condition score ≤2·25 at calving) which were still acyclic at the end of the experiment, but not the number of fat cows (body condition score ≥2·5 at calving).FSH levels were not affected by any of the factors examined. Prolactin concentrations were higher in fatter cows, in cows on the higher level of feeding and in Blue-Grey cows. Prolactin concentrations decreased during the period of calf separation. Genotype and feeding level had no effect on LH concentration or LH pulse frequency. LH pulse frequency was increased (P < 0·05) during the period of calf separation, but there was no effect 1 week later. There was a significant positive relationship between LH puise frequency and body condition score at calving in two of the three sampling periods.It is suggested that the effect of body condition on the duration of the post-partum anoestrous period i s mediated through effects on LH pulse frequency.

The performance of laying hens on diets using barley as the main energy source

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (62) ◽  
pp. 251 ◽  
Author(s):  
EA Dunstan
Keyword(s):  
Energy Source ◽  
Protein Content ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
The Other ◽  
Crude Protein Content ◽  
Egg Weight ◽  
Equal Energy

An experiment compared egg production on a diet using a mixture of wheat, barley, and oats as the grain portion, with a diet in which the wheat and oats were replaced with barley. A comparison between sundried and dehydrated lucerne meal was included. A second experiment compared the same formulations of barley and mixed grain diets as used in the first experiment, and a mixed grain diet of higher crude protein content. Replacing wheat and oats with barley in an otherwise unchanged diet did not significantly affect the number of eggs produced but did increase the average egg weight by 1.1 g in both experiments, significantly so in one experiment, but not in the other. Increasing the crude protein content of the mixed grain diet did not significantly affect either egg production or egg weight. Consumption of the barley diet was greater than the mixed grain diets. This increase in consumption was less than would have been expected on the basis of equal energy intakes, indicating that the metabolizable energy value of the barley used was greater than values previously published for barley. No differences were found in performance between sundried and dehydrated lucerne meal.

The effect of different pasture management strategies during the weaning-to-mating period on reproductive performance of Greyface ewes

1990 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Gunn ◽  
J. M. Doney ◽  
R. D. M. Agnew ◽  
W. F. Smith ◽  
D. A. Sim
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
The Other ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Mating Period ◽  
Sward Height ◽  
Condition Score

ABSTRACTThe effects on reproductive performance of different strategies of pasture management designed to conserve herbage in situ during the late growing season for use during the pre-mating and mating period were studied in three experiments over 3 years with Greyface ewes. Two experiments with 341 ewes compared set-stocking of pasture at 12 ewes per ha on two initial levels of herbage mass with a conservation strategy which left half of the area ungrazed and grazed the other half of the area at 24 ewes per ha from late August until mid October (2 weeks before the start of mating) after which the total area was grazed at 12 ewes per ha. In a third experiment with 124 ewes, the conservation strategy left a quarter of the area ungrazed and varied stocking rate to a minimum of 12 ewes per ha to maintain two initial levels of herbage mass on the other three-quarters of the area and then compared set-stocking at six ewes per ha on this area with set-stocking at 18 ewes per ha on the previously ungrazed quarter of the area during the pre-mating and mating period.Initial levels of herbage mass were within the range of 2000 to 2100 kg dry matter (DM) per ha (7 cm sward height; high) and 1500 to 1700 kg DM per ha (4 to 5 cm; low). Mean herbage accumulation rates between August and October were estimated to be 25 and 44 kg DM per ha per day in the first two experiments. Initial live weight and body condition score also varied considerably between years and subsequent response was influenced by herbage growth rate. Where mean ewe body condition was within the score 2·75 to 3·00, range over the mating period and herbage mass on set-stocked areas was not higher than 2200 kg DM per ha (8 cm sward height) in the pre-mating period or not lower than 1300 kg DM per ha (3·5 cm) at about 3 weeks after mating, the strategy of management did not influence reproductive performance in terms of the number of lambs born. Within these limits, however, reproductive performance was positively related to herbage mass in late August (low = 1·60, high = 1·94).When herbage mass fell below the 1300 kg DM per ha level before or during mating, reproductive performance was improved by a herbage-conservation strategy which maintained ewe body-condition score within the 2·75 to 3·00 range. When herbage mass and growth rate were high, reproductive performance was also improved by a herbage-conservation strategy which restricted the development of excessive body condition before mating by avoiding the increase in barrenness shown to derive from very high levels of body condition.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the availability of mass of forage: morphological responses and chemical composition of Tanzania grass subjected to two pasture-management strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Gabriel Camilo ◽  
Alberto Magno Fernandes ◽  
Tadeu Silva de Oliveira ◽  
Danielle Ferreira Baffa ◽  
Sarah Ellen Eduardo Bernardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Protein Content ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Rest Period ◽  
Light Interception ◽  
The Other ◽  
Crude Protein Content ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Sward Height

The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphogenetic traits and chemical composition of Tanzania grass using a fixed rest period or according to light interception at 95%. The treatments consisted of evaluations of two Tanzania-grass pasture-management strategies: (1) LI95 - animals entered the paddocks when the pasture reached 95% of light interception (LI), with three days of paddock occupation; and (2) FR - the pasture was managed with a defoliation interval (DI) of 30 days, and three days of paddock occupation. The experimental area consisted of 4 ha, with 22 paddocks per treatments. Ten recently-calved cows were used per treatment in year 1, and eight cows were used per treatment in year 2. Sward height, forage mass, and morphological components and their chemical composition were evaluated. The management strategies used on the Tanzania grass pasture did not affect pasture mass or height in the pre- and post-grazing conditions, or the proportion of stems. However, the proportion of leaves was greater in the paddocks with 95% light interception. The crude protein content was higher in the paddocks with 95% light interception; the other nutrients were not affected. In conclusion, management adopting 95% light interception does not influence morphogenetic traits. Nevertheless, it promotes an increase in the crude protein content of grasses.

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