Enterische methaanemissie van melkvee in relatie tot (vers) graskwaliteit: Jaarrapport 2: 2021 : Resultaten van een meerjarige beweidingsproef naar methaanemissie bij weidegang, zomerstalvoedering en het voeren van graskuil

The Climate Agreement describes strict reduction targets to reduce methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) emissions simultaneously. The goal of this multiannual research is to explore the reduction potential for CH4 and NH3 in the dairy sector via (fresh) grass management. In two consecutive years containing three periods per year (April/May, June/July and August/September) the same experiment has been performed were enteric CH4 of dairy cows was measured receiving grass silage, fulltime grazing or zero-grazing (cut-and-carry system). The results found in the second year were in comparison with the first year, having the lowest CH4 emission on fulltime grazing in spring. Overall, regardless of year or period, the average CH4 yield of cows on fulltime grazing was 17.2 g CH4/kg DM, on zero-grazing 18.3 g CH4/kg DM and on grass silage 21.0g CH4/kg DM. CH4 yield of fresh grass differed between periods. Growth stadia had an effect as well, emission was lower on short grass compared to long grass. Based on these two years, no year effect was found. The measured variance in CH4 emission shows potential for reducing enteric CH4 using grassland management. Additionally, the study showed the importance of adjusting the emission factor of fresh grass based on grass quality

Adaptief weiden in het veenweidegebied - kurzrasen en roterend standweiden : Systeemproef naar effect van beweidingssysteem en intensiteit op gras- en melkproductie, draagkracht en biodiversiteit

Grazing cows are an important component in landscape in the Netherlands and grazing contributes to the well-being of cows., In addition to grass and milk production, also other objectives such as load bearing capacity, practical farm conditions (labour, field layout, soil type), N balance and biodiversity play a role, when choosing or designing a grazing system. Particularly in relation to grass and milk production a lot of research has been carried out (recently), resulting in a large amount of available information. Other objectives mentioned above have received much less attention. In the report, we make a start with obtaining information on these objective, so that these can also play an increasingly important role in the choice of grazing system

Grondgebonden subsidies: methodiek en referenties

Overheden hebben belang bij goede referentiewaarden die ten grondslag liggen aan de grondgebonden subsidies, om die te evalueren en daar waar nodig te herijken. In opdracht van het ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit (LNV) zijn hiervoor in overleg met de begeleidingscommissie van dit project specifieke onderzoeksvragen geformuleerd. In dit rapport worden de belangrijkste resultaten per vraag uitgewerkt. Daarnaast zijn toekomstvisies in relatie tot toekomstbestendigheid grondgebonden subsidies geformuleerd voor de ontwikkeling graslandbeheer,het gebruik van bouwland en een kleinschaligheidstoeslag.---The Dutch government attaches great importance to good reference values that underlie land-related subsidies. The study was commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and in consultation with the supervisory committee of this project, research questions for these values have been selected for this purpose. The results per research question are discussed in this report. In addition, future visions have been formulated for the development of references for grassland management, the use of arable land and a small scale subsidies

Pilot Grasopname: ervaringen met het genereren en gebruiken van dagelijks kengetal grasopname in de praktijk : rapportage seizoen 2019

Grass intake while grazing has been a large unknown factor in feeding strategy of dairy cows. Within the Amazing Grazing project, during the grazing season of 2019 grazing activity of the herd of 5 farms was recorded. Sensors were used to estimate daily grass intake per herd during the period cows were in the paddock. A pilot was performed to test (1) whether it was possible to collect all required data and calculate the estimated grass intake at herd level on a daily basis and (2) to find out how the farmers experienced this parameter in terms of reliability, accuracy, availability and added value in their management. Overall the added value was acknowledged by the farmers and further development was encouraged

The effect of grazing system and level of concentrate protein feeding on milk production and N use efficiency of dairy cows on peat meadows

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of two contrasting grazing systems, strip-grazing and kurzrasen, at a high stocking rate on herbage intake and milk production and quality on a peat meadow. Additionally, we assessed the effect of the level of crude protein (CP) fed in concentrate on milk production and N use efficiency. Even at the relatively high stocking rates, cows still achieved substantial fresh grass intake (on average >6 kg dry matter cow-1 day-1) from both systems. Despite the lower level of gross grass production under kurzrasen management, the difference in milk production between kurzrasen and strip-grazing was small and non-significant. Feeding concentrate with a lower CP level, had no negative impact on milk yield, provided that the CP content of the total ration remained above ~150 g kg-1 DM and milk urea content was above ~18 mg 100 g-1 milk. Reducing the CP content in the concentrate significantly increased the N use efficiency, and both were strongly related to the milk urea content. Therefore, optimising the use of milk urea as a management tool on dairy farms, also during the grazing season, could reduce N losses to the environment, while maintaining productivity

Systeeminnovatie Beweiden Veenweiden : eindrapportage 2015‐2016

In het westelijk Veenweidegebied worden nog veel koeien (90%) geweid, maar ook hier staat weidegang onder druk. Er is een toename van het aantal bedrijven dat overschakelt naar melkrobot (AMS systeem). Bovendien neemt door bedrijfsuitbreiding het aantal koeien per hectare huiskavel toe. Daarnaast heeft het gebied een aantal ‘natuurlijke handicaps’ die van invloed zijn op beweiding zoals de typische verkaveling (langgerekte, serieel gepositioneerde percelen, lange kavelpaden en vele slootjes) en de bodem met haar lage draagkracht. Bij het uitwerken van de innovatieopgave en oplossingsrichtingen voor de combinatie van automatisch melken en weidegang in het Veenweidengebied kwam het beweidingssysteem kurzrasen als mogelijke innovatie voor het veenweidegebied naar voren. Kurzrasen is een beweidingssysteem ontwikkeld in Duitsland en Zwitserland waarbij continu een stoppellengte van 3 tot 5 cm wordt aangeboden voor beweiding. De focus in dit beweidingsysteem is een optimalisatie tussen de melkproductie en grasbenutting bij continue beweiding door een hoge voederwaarde en minimaal beweidingsverlies. Het uiteindelijke doel is een maximaal economisch rendement bij een intensieve beweiding van de huiskavel. Het kurzrasen biedt potentieel een aantal belangrijke voordelen ten opzichte van gangbare beweidingssystemen zoals omweiden en stripgrazen: 1) In het kurzrasensysteem grazen de koeien steeds op hetzelfde perceel. Er is dus minder infrastructuur nodig in de vorm van looppaden, verkaveling, bedrading en watervoorzieningen en het levert een besparing van arbeid op. 2) Het systeem is eenvoudig te combineren met robotmelken, omdat de koeien bij kurzrasen actiever zijn, en meer lopen om gras bij elkaar te krijgen. De dieren zijn dus eenvoudiger te motiveren om tussen stal en weide te pendelen. Bovendien is er een grote mate van dagelijkse routine (elke dat hetzelfde perceel) wat resulteert in een constant en rustig kuddegedrag. 3) Door de lage graashoogte bij kurzrasen ontstaat een dichte zode, die mogelijk een positief effect heeft op de draagkracht en het weideseizoen op veengrond kan verlengen. Het doel van dit onderzoek is om te vergelijken welk beweidingssysteem zich in het veenweidegebied het beste leent voor robotmelken bij een klein huiskavel en een maximale melkproductie per ha uit gras. In 2016 is op proefbedrijf KTC Zegveld een beweidingsproef uitgevoerd waarin kurzrasen is vergeleken met stripgrazen bij zowel een hoog als laag OEB niveau in de bijvoeding. Dit resulteerde in 4 groepen van ieder 15 koeien (9 HF en 6 Jersey) die elk 2 ha ter beschikking hadden met een krachtvoergift van gemiddeld 6,7 kg per koe per dag. De koeien werden beperkt beweid (alleen ’s nachts buiten), en maaien stond ten dienste van de beweiding. Gedurende het hele jaar werden metingen gedaan aan de grasproductie, voederwaarde en melkproductie. Daarnaast werd er ook gekeken naar de morfologische ontwikkeling van het gras en naar bodemkwaliteit, waaronder de draagkracht van de bodem

The effect of grazing system and level of concentrate protein feeding on milk production and N use efficiency of dairy cows on peat meadows

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of two contrasting grazing systems, strip-grazing and kurzrasen, at a high stocking rate on herbage intake and milk production and quality on a peat meadow. Additionally, we assessed the effect of the level of crude protein (CP) fed in concentrate on milk production and N use efficiency. Even at the relatively high stocking rates, cows still achieved substantial fresh grass intake (on average >6 kg dry matter cow-1 day-1) from both systems. Despite the lower level of gross grass production under kurzrasen management, the difference in milk production between kurzrasen and strip-grazing was small and non-significant. Feeding concentrate with a lower CP level, had no negative impact on milk yield, provided that the CP content of the total ration remained above ~150 g kg-1 DM and milk urea content was above ~18 mg 100 g-1 milk. Reducing the CP content in the concentrate significantly increased the N use efficiency, and both were strongly related to the milk urea content. Therefore, optimising the use of milk urea as a management tool on dairy farms, also during the grazing season, could reduce N losses to the environment, while maintaining productivity.</p

The effect of Kurzrasen and strip-grazing on grassland performance and soil quality of a Peat Meadow

Due to the increased herd size in the Netherlands, there is need to assess the performance of different grazing systems at high stocking densities. The objective of the current experiment was to assess the effect of two extreme grazing systems, kurzrasen (continuous grazing at 3-5 cm sward height) and strip-grazing at a high stocking rate, on grass production and quality, grass morphology and sward density, root development and load bearing capacity on peat soil. To this end, a two-year grazing trial with four herds of 15 cows on 2 ha each was conducted. Kurzrasen showed 18% lower herbage dry matter production on average compared to strip-grazing. The yield penalty of using a shorter regrowth period under kurzrasen was limited due to the strong response in grass morphology, resulting in a dense and lamina-rich sward. There was a small decline in root density at 10 cm soil depth, but no evidence of a lower root density at 20 cm soil depth for kurzrasen compared to strip-grazing. Sward density was higher for kurzrasen compared to strip-grazing, which had a positive impact on load bearing capacity. This is an important feature on peat soils, where load bearing capacity is often limited.</p

The effect of Kurzrasen and strip-grazing on grassland performance and soil quality of a Peat Meadow

Due to the increased herd size in the Netherlands, there is need to assess the performance of different grazing systems at high stocking densities. The objective of the current experiment was to assess the effect of two extreme grazing systems, kurzrasen (continuous grazing at 3-5 cm sward height) and strip-grazing at a high stocking rate, on grass production and quality, grass morphology and sward density, root development and load bearing capacity on peat soil. To this end, a two-year grazing trial with four herds of 15 cows on 2 ha each was conducted. Kurzrasen showed 18% lower herbage dry matter production on average compared to strip-grazing. The yield penalty of using a shorter regrowth period under kurzrasen was limited due to the strong response in grass morphology, resulting in a dense and lamina-rich sward. There was a small decline in root density at 10 cm soil depth, but no evidence of a lower root density at 20 cm soil depth for kurzrasen compared to strip-grazing. Sward density was higher for kurzrasen compared to strip-grazing, which had a positive impact on load bearing capacity. This is an important feature on peat soils, where load bearing capacity is often limited.</p