Article
Effect of silage from ryegrass intercropped with winter or common vetch for grazing dairy cows in small-scale dairy systems in Mexico
Registro en:
Hernández-Ortega, M., Heredia-Nava, D., Espinoza-Ortega, A., Sánchez-Vera, E., & Arriaga-Jordán, C. M. (2011). Effect of silage from ryegrass intercropped with winter or common vetch for grazing dairy cows in small-scale dairy systems in Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 43(5), 947–54. doi:10.1007/s11250-011-9788-2
1573-7438
Autor
Hernández Ortega, Martha
Heredia Nava, Darwin
Espinoza Ortega, Angelica
Sánchez Vera, Ernesto
Arriaga Jordán, Carlos M.
Institución
Resumen
The objective was to determine the effect of
including silages of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)
intercropped with winter vetch (Vicia villosa) (ARG-VV) or
with common vetch (Vicia sativa) (ARG-VS) compared
with maize silage (MS) on milk yield and milk composition
of dairy cows grazing cultivated perennial ryegrass–white
clover pastures with supplemented concentrate during the
dry season. Six Holstein dairy cows with a mean yield of
19.0 kg/cow/day at the beginning of the experiment were
randomly assigned to a 3×3 repeated Latin square. Treatments
were: 8 h/day intensive grazing, 3.6 kg of dry matter
(DM) per cow per day of concentrate plus MS, and ARGVV
or ARG-VS ad libitum at a stocking rate of 3.0 cows/ha
for three experimental periods of 3 weeks each. Milk yield
(MY) and milk composition, live weight and body
condition score as well as silage and concentrate intakes
were recorded during the third week of each experimental
period, and pasture intake was estimated indirectly from
utilised metabolisable energy. Economic analysis was
obtained by preparing partial budgets. There were no
statistical differences (P>0.10) in MY, milk fat or protein
content nor for live weight, but there was significant
difference (P<0.10) in body condition score. There were
non-statistical differences in silage DM intake (P<0.11);
however, significant differences (P<0.10) were obtained
for estimated grazed herbage intake whilst no differences
for total DM intake. Slightly higher economic returns
(10%) were obtained with ARG-VS over MS, and this
was 7% higher than ARG-VV. It is concluded that ARG-VS
could be an option for complementing grazing for smallscale
dairy production systems in the dry season as it is
comparable to MS in animal performance and slightly
better in economic terms.