The effect of height of pasture and concentrate composition on dairy cows grazed on continuously stocked pastures

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Abstract
Summary: The effects of pasture height and of a cereal-based concentrate or a sugar-beet pulp supplement were studied with 30 spring-calving cows on continuously stocked, perennial ryegrass dominant pasture in a 3 × 3 latin-square design with periods of 4 weeks. Pastures were maintained at heights of about 5·0 cm (short) or 6·5 cm (control). On the short pasture, the two supplements had similar effects and were additive but on the control pasture, compared with sugar-beet pulp, the cereal concentrate depressed herbage intake. Average fat-corrected milk yields were 26·3 and 28·1 kg/day on short and control areas respectively. Both supplements increased milk yields by about 0·7 kg per kg OM supplied. Cows on the short pasture tended to lose weight. Supplements slightly increased live weight and sugar-beet pulp tended to increase body condition score. In observations continued after the conclusion of the main experiment the short pasture was more productive and of slightly higher nutritive value. Cows receiving the concentrate supplements increased total intake but this was reflected only in live weight. The total utilized metabolizable energy for the whole season was about 130 GJ/ha.