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Effect of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars on the milk yield of grazing dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 October 2012

C. M. Wims ,
M. McEvoy ,
L. Delaby ,
T. M. Boland  and
M. O'Donovan
C. M. Wims
Affiliation:
Department of Grassland Science, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
M. McEvoy
Affiliation:
Department of Grassland Science, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
L. Delaby
Affiliation:
Institut National de Recherche Agronomique, Agrocampus Ouest, UMR 1348, Physiologie, Environement et Génétique Pour l'Animal et les Systémes d'Elevage, F-35590 Saint Gilles, France
T. M. Boland
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
M. O'Donovan*
Affiliation:
Department of Grassland Science, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
*
† E-mail: michael.odonovan@teagasc.ie
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Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of four perennial ryegrass cultivars: Bealey, Astonenergy, Spelga and AberMagic on the milk yield and milk composition of grazing dairy cows. Two 4 × 4 latin square experiments were completed, one during the reproductive and the other during the vegetative growth phase of the cultivars. Thirty-two Holstein–Friesian dairy cows were divided into four groups, with each group assigned 17 days on each cultivar during both experiments. Within each observation period, milk yield and milk composition, sward morphology and pasture chemical composition were measured. During the reproductive growth phase, organic matter digestibility (OMD) was greater for Bealey and Astonenergy (P < 0.001; +1.6%). AberMagic contained a higher stem proportion (P < 0.01; +0.06) and a longer sheath height (P < 0.001; +1.9 cm). Consequently, cows grazing AberMagic recorded a lower milk yield (P < 0.001; −1.5 kg/day) and a lower milk solids yield (P < 0.001; −0.13 kg/day). During the vegetative growth phase, OMD was greater (P < 0.001; +1.1%) for Bealey, whereas the differences between the cultivars in terms of sward structure were smaller and did not appear to influence animal performance. As a result, cows grazing Bealey recorded a higher milk yield (P < 0.001; +0.9 kg/day) and a higher milk solids yield (P < 0.01; +0.08 kg/day). It was concluded that grass cultivar did influence milk yield due to variations in sward structure and chemical composition.

Keywords

perennial ryegrasscultivarsward structuredairy cowgrazing
Type
Breeding and genetics
Information
animal , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , March 2013 , pp. 410 - 421
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2012

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