Use of 'Barkant' turnips and 'Superchow' sorghum crops to increase summer-autumn milk
production
S.L. Harris, D.A. Clark, C.D. Waugh, P.J.A. Copeman and A.R. Napper
Dairying Research Corporation Private Bag 3123, Hamilton
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1998,
58: 121-124
'Barkant' turnips and 'Superchow' sorghum were compared as
summer-autumn crops for lactating cows. Crops were fed at three levels
(0, 4 and 8 kg DM/cow/d) to supplement pasture offered at a constant
allowance. Sixty twin cows were used in two experimental periods in
February and March 1997. Feeding 4 or 8 kg DM/cow/day increased
milksolids (MS) yield/cow by 29% or 36% for turnips, and 26% or 32% for
sorghum compared with pasture alone. Turnips gave responses of 58g and
45g MS/kg DM offered, at the lower allowance, in summer and autumn
respectively, compared with 45g MS/kg DM in both seasons for sorghum.
For both crops, increasing allowance from 4 to 8 kg further increased MS
yield. Crop utilisation was lower on sorghum than turnips but
substitution rates for turnips were higher than for sorghum at both
allowances in both summer and autumn. This means that although both
crops have a 'pasture sparing' effect, sorghum contributed more to
increased per cow intake.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
crop intake; dairy cows; milksolids; pasture intake; sorghum; turnips.
Last Updated 12-09-1998
