Response of Cows in Early Lactation When Offered Maize Silage to Appetite and Restricted Areas of Pasture

A.M. Bryant and M.A.S. Cook

Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Hamilton

E-Mail:

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1977, 37: 39-45

One group of cows in early lactation was grazed on a fresh area of pasture each day sufficient to provide near full feeding. Three other groups were offered 80, 60, or 40% of this area and provided with maize silage to appetite. Supplementation continued for 5 weeks and for 11 weeks thereafter equal numbers of cows were stocked at 3.7 and 4.9 cows/ha.

Maize silage intake increased with increasing pasture restriction and represented 37, 47 and 54% of daily dry matter (DM) intake. Milk and fat yields declined as the proportion of maize silage in the diet increased but effects on liveweight were not significant. Cow performance after supplementation ceased was not affected by previous treatment. Inclusion of silage reduced apparent digestibility of DM, energy, and nitrogen and ME content. Tissue retention of nitrogen was higher on the silage diets than when pasture alone was fed both nitrogen and calcium retention declined with increasing proportions of silage. Tissue retentions of magnesium and phosphorus were not significantly affected by diet.

Keywords: NZSAPAB;

Last Updated 24-08-2000