Analysis of the nutritional and productive behaviour of dairy cows under three rotation bands of pastures, Pichincha, Ecuador
Castro Muñoz, Eloy; Andriamandroso, Andriamasinoro Lalaina Herinaina Agriculture and Landscape Teaching and Research Department, ISA Lille, France; Ron, Leninet al.
2021 • In Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics, 122 (2), p. 289 - 298
grazing time; milk production; occupation time; pasture rotation; Pennisetum clandestinum; Forestry; Geography, Planning and Development; Development; Animal Science and Zoology; Agronomy and Crop Science
Abstract :
[en] This research was carried out on Pennisetum clandestinum-based pastures to identify the effect of three (3) types of stocking methods with similar forage allowance (8.2 kg of dry matter for 100 kg of live weight) but differing by the occupation times of the rotations (3 h, 24 h, and continuous) on the behaviour and the production of dairy cows. The experimental scheme consisted in three herds of four Holstein Friesian cows grazing three paddocks, one per rotation type, for one week and replicated three times in a cross-over design. Pasture height and biomass were measured before and after each grazing week and on a daily basis, two cows per herd were monitored during daytime with activity sensors and their milk production was recorded. The main results showed that in all treatments the cows reduced the height of the sward by 40 % on average. The cows in the continuous treatment spent more time in meals and tended to have higher average speed during the day than in the 3-h rotation ascribed to a higher exploration of the whole gradable area every day in the continuous treatment and to more time idling animals in the 3-h treatment in anticipation of the opening of new areas to graze over the course of day. Despite those difference in activity, milk production did not differ neither in quantity with an average of 12.4 ± 0.14 kg per day, nor in quality (i.e., fat, protein, non-fatty solids, total solids). We conclude that under our grazing conditions with an intermediate forage allowance and low producing cows, applying a labour intensive stocking method requiring to open new areas every 3 hours does not lead to a significant production increase.
Andriamandroso, Andriamasinoro Lalaina Herinaina Agriculture and Landscape Teaching and Research Department, ISA Lille, France; Agriculture and Landscape Teaching and Research Department, ISA Lille, France
Ron, Lenin; Universidad Central del Ecuador > Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria
Montufar, Carlos; Universiadad Central del Ecuador > Facultad de Ciencias Agricolas
da Silva Neto, Gentil F; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil > Department of Forage Plants and Agrometeorology
Borja, Juan; Universidad Central del Ecuador > Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas
Lebeau, Frédéric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Biosystems Dynamics and Exchanges (BIODYNE)
Bindelle, Jérôme ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Ingénierie des productions animales et nutrition
Language :
English
Title :
Analysis of the nutritional and productive behaviour of dairy cows under three rotation bands of pastures, Pichincha, Ecuador
Publication date :
08 December 2021
Journal title :
Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics
ISSN :
1612-9830
eISSN :
2363-6033
Publisher :
Kassel University Press GmbH
Volume :
122
Issue :
2
Pages :
289 - 298
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funding text :
This work was designed and planned in the Precision Agriculture Unit of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, and was carried out thanks to the students and professors of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Central University of Ecuador; as well as the state entity of the Ecuadorian Agency for Quality Assurance (AGROCAL-IDAD) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries (MAGAP). Eloy Castro Muñoz was funded by the joint program of the Central University of Ecuador (Quito, Ecuador) and the Académie de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur – Cellule de Coopération au Développement (ARES-CCD, Brussels, Belgium).This work was designed and planned in the Precision Agriculture Unit of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Li?ge, and was carried out thanks to the students and pro-fessors of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Central University of Ecuador; as well as the state entity of the Ecuadorian Agency for Quality Assurance (AGROCAL-IDAD) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquacul-ture and Fisheries (MAGAP). Eloy Castro Mu?oz was funded by the joint program of the Central University of Ecuador (Quito, Ecuador) and the Acad?mie de Recherche et d?Enseignement Sup?rieur ? Cellule de Coop?ration au D?veloppement (ARES-CCD, Brussels, Belgium).
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