Experiences with on-off grazing in early lactation on dairy farms in
Northland
M.B. Blackwell
17 Melwood Drive, Warkworth, New Zealand
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1993,
53: 37-40
Damage to soils and pastures in early Spring is a significant factor
reducing pasture growth, feed utilisation and animal production on NZ dairy
farms. Farmers have sought and may have found a management solution to
this problem. It involves the early removal of dairy cows from pasture, after
a period of grazing that is sufficient to meet the dry-matter intake needs of the
cows. For example the colostrum herd might graze on pasture only at night,
and spend the period between morning and afternoon milkings on the
cowshed yard. The main herd will be on pasture during the daytime, but may
be taken off pasture at 9.00 after 3 to 4 hours grazing, and stood on the
cowshed yard until morning milking. This limits the extent of treading and
reduced damage to soils and pasture, allowing the farm to sustain higher
pasture growth rates, maintain a higher average pasture cover and achieve a
longer first rotation. Dairy farmers have found they can stand lactating dairy
cows without special facilities and without the need for supplementary feed
provided certain conditions are met. The best place to stand cows from
farmers experience is on the cowsheds concrete yard. Cows are used to
standing there and the concrete is cleaned daily of stones, so risk of stone
bruising to hooves is minimal. While space on the yard is limited, few cows
lie down on the concrete. The close contact means they keep each other
warm, and they may be less exposed to weather than in the paddock. There
appears to be no detrimental effect on daily per cow production from this
treatment and production data will present to illustrate this.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Dairy cows; on-off grazing; early lactation; milksolids production.
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
