Influence of level of concentrate feeding on milk production and pasture utilization by Friesian cows grazing tropical grass-legume pasture

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Abstract
Four groups of 4 Friesian cows grazed green panic (Panicum maximum var. trichoglume)-glycine (Glycine wightii cv. Tinaroo) pastures at 4 cows/ha for 36 wk from Jan.-Oct. 1975. Cows were individually fed 0, 2, 4 and 6 kg/cow per day, respectively, of a maize-soybean meal concentrate. Fat corrected milk (FCM) response to concentrate was linear and was related to the total concentrate intake (X) by the equation, FCM = 1992 + 1.03 .times. (R.S.D. [residual standard deviation] .+-. 23; P < 0.001). Persistency of lactation decreased with decreasing levels of concentrate feeding (P < 0.01) and lactation length was reduced for cows receiving low levels of concentrates (P < 0.05). Milk fat content was reduced (P < 0.05) and solids-not-fat and casein contents increased by concentrate feeding (P < 0.05). Cows fed 6 kg concentrate cow/day-1 were 50 kg/cow heavier at drying off than cows fed no concentrate (P < 0.05). Pasture yield on offer to cows was increased linearly with increased concentrate feeding (P < 0.05) and pasture intake by cows was estimated to decreased by 0.9 kg for each kg of concentrate fed (P < 0.05). FCM response to concentrate increased markedly when pasture on offer fell below 2500 kg DM[dry matter]/ha. FCM response to concentrate appears to be linear for cows grazing tropical pastures, and the size of this response is strongly influenced by the period of feeding and the yield of pasture on offer to cows.