info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Milk production and reproduction of dual-purpose cows with a restricted concentrate allowance and access to an association of Leucaena leucocephala and Cynodon nlemfuensis
Autor
ARMIN JAVIER AYALA BURGOS
IRINA NADIESKA PENICHE GONZALEZ
ZABDI UZIEL GONZALEZ LOPEZ
CARLOS FERNANDO AGUILAR PEREZ
JUAN CARLOS KU VERA
FRANCISCO JAVIER SOLORIO SANCHEZ
Institución
Resumen
The aim of the study was to evaluate the productive and reproductive performance of dual-purpose (DP) cows with a restricted concentrate allowance and access to a forage association of Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) and Stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis). Twenty-four multiparous Holstein × Zebu cows were used during the first 98 days postpartum. Treatments were control (CT): nightly grazing of Stargrass + commercial concentrate (3.97 kg dry matter [DM]/d), and Leucaena (LT): nightly grazing of Stargrass + commercial concentrate (1.97 kg DM/d) + 4 h grazing on an association of Leucaena/Stargrass. The actual time spent browsing Leucaena represented 38% of the total time of consumption. The bite rate of Leucaena was 22 5 bites/min with a bite size of 0.541 ± 0.08 g DM. The estimated intake of Leucaena per cow was 503 ± 228 g DM/d. Milk yield per cow was similar (P > 0.05) between treatments (CT = 12.28 ± 0.6 kg/d, LT = 11.97 ± 0.6, TL = 11.9 0.6) with a similar composition (P > 0.05). There were no differences (P > 0.05) between treatments for changes in live weight (CT −29.6 kg, LT −33.3 kg) and body condition (CT −1.3, LT −1.4, in a 1–9 scale). Population of ovarian follicles per cow was similar between treatments throughout the experiment. Pregnancy rate was 33% for CT and 25% for LT, with no significant differences (P > 0.05). Grazing an association of Leucaena and Stargrass can replace part of the concentrate without detrimental effects on production and reproduction in DP cows.