Concentrate Mixture, Grass Pellets, Fodder Beets, or Barley as Supplements to Silage ad libitum for High-yielding Dairy Cows on Organic Farms

A total of 246 Danish Holstein cows were included in three experiments. In each experiment, Barley (B) was compared with another type of supplementary feeds: a Concentrate mixture (C), Grass pellets (G), or Fodder beets (F). The concentrate mixture resulted in a higher (P = 0.002) milk yield (25.9 vs 23.7 kg), a tendency of a lower (P = 0.07) fat content (4.08 vs 4.25%), and a higher (P = 0.006) ECM yield (25.7 vs 24.1 kg) compared to feeding barley as supplement at the same energy level. Grass pellets resulted in a lower (P = 0.01) milk fat content (3.74 vs 4.07%), a tendency of a lower (P = 0.12) protein content (3.14 vs 3.23%), but no different milk or ECM yield compared to feeding barley as supplement at the same dry matter level. The total mixed ration with fodder beet tended to decrease (P = 0.12) milk yield (20.7 vs 22.0 kg) and the ECM yield (P = 0.05) was lower (21.5 vs 22.9 kg) whereas the composition of the milk was unaffected compared to the total mixed ration with barley

Effect of barley or rape seed cake as supplement to silage for high-yielding organic dairy cows

An experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of barley or rape seed cake as supplement to silage given ad libitum on milk production and health of dairy cows. A total of 103 cows were divided into two groups on two farms. Before the experiment, the cows had an average milk yield of 26.9 kg ECM and they were in milk for an average of 99 days. Their average parity was 2.3 and their weight 596 kg. The cows in each group received either solely barley or an isoenergetic mixture of rape cake seed and barley as supplement. The supplement feed was fed frequently by automatic feeding. A mixture of clover grass silage and whole crop silage was fed ad libitum. The daily milk yields were not significantly different in the barley and rape seed cake treatment (22.8 v. 24.1 kg). The milk fat content was not significant different either (4.51% v. 4.35%). However, the protein content tended to be higher in the barley treatment (3.51% v. 3.45%). But the energy corrected milk yield (ECM) was not significantly different in the barley and rape seed cake treatments either (24.2 v. 24.9 kg ECM). No differences in health as indicated by clinical illness treated by the vet and somatic cell count (SCC) was seen. It was concluded that barley and a mixture of isoenergic rape seed cake and barley had similar feeding value when used as supplement with a high proportion of easily digestible clover grass silage allocated ad libitum and frequently allocation of supplementary feed

Integrated forage and livestock production

Integrated forage and livestock production can be considered at the farm level and at the herd or animal level. At the farm level it is relevant to consider the overall utilization of N in the system in relation to crops and livestock. It is demonstrated that in organic dairy production a high transformation efficiency of N from input to edible products can be achieved compared, with conventional production. In addition, combining dairy and pig production allows an even higher N utilization. At the herd level the quality of grass or clover-grass based forage is extremely important. This holds for the overall intake and milk production in dairy cows and for the intake of clover-grass by grazing sows. In addition the composition of the sward should be considered in relation to the influence of specific plant species on the development of endoparasitic infections in ruminants and on the wear strength in relation to free-range pig production. For dairy production it is proposed that a strategy including only 20% concentrates (or cereals) of the dry matter in a total diet based on clover-grass and clover-grass silage represenst an efficient milk production without impairing the health of the cows

Arealforbrug og emission af drivhusgas ved græsbaserede oksekødsproduktionssystemer

Arealforbruget og udledningen af drivhusgasser udgør en af de store udfordringer for fødevareproduktionen. Som supplement til de driftsøkonomiske analyser (Munk et al., 2014) er der således lavet en beregning af arealforbrug og udledning af drivhusgasser per kg kød produceret ved tre alternativer økologiske oksekødsproduktionssystemer

Effect of concentrate supplementation level on production, health and efficiency in an organic dairy herd

The proportions of organic feed and roughage in the feed ration for organic dairy cows have to reach 100 and 60%, respectively, in 2005. The aim of this study was to elucidate the long-term effects of reducing or omitting concentrate supplementation to high genetic merit dairy cows on a basal ad libitum diet of clover-grass (silage and grazing). Three concentrate levels, N, L and L+ (38, 0 and 19% of dry matter (DM) intake, respectively) were investigated in a herd of 60 cows during 3 years. The production in group N was 6723 kg energy corrected milk (ECM) per cow year, based on an intake of 6226 kg DM of which 38% was concentrates. In group L the omission of concentrates reduced intake to 4770 kg DM, and milk production to 5090 kg ECM per cow year. Milk protein content was reduced and milk free fatty acid content was increased, and the first calving interval was significantly increased, as compared to group N. The intake in group L+ was 5226 kg DM per cow year of which 19% was concentrates. Milk production in group L+ was reduced by only 493 kg ECM per cow year as compared to group N, primarily due to a significantly improved feed conversion ratio (12%). There were no indications of health problems associated with the reduced feeding levels

A decision support model simulating the vitamin supply over the year on a farm

The aim of this new project is to develop a prototype of a decision support model simulating the feed and vitamin supply during a year to different groups of animals (calves, heifers, dry cows, cows in early and late lactation) on a farm self-sufficient with feed. The model takes into account that the content of vitamin depends on choice of crops, utilization method, cutting date, conservation method and duration of storage together with traditional optimizing the feed-ing scheme

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FARMERS AND CONSUMERS: VALUE CREATION AND MEDIATION IN “PASTURE-RAISED BEEF” FOOD NETWORKS

The aim of this article is to explore how different quality dimensions (safety, aesthetics, ethics and rooted ness) are created in food networks; how these qualities are transferred until the consumers; and how this process is supported by the organisation of the food network. Our postulate is that combining the quality and organisation dimensions and exploring the link between them will provide an interesting perspective for improving the sharing of values in food networks. This framework is applied to five case studies of “pasture-raised beef” food networks in France, representing a diversity of organisations such as public label scheme, cooperate owned brand and direct sell from farmer to consumer. The results highlight the importance of the role of certification and personal commitment for the creation, and also for the mediation of added-value.Grassland, Meat quality, Sustainability, Food labeling, Case study, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Introduktion - perspektiver ved 100 pct. økologisk fodring

I kapitlet skitseres den økologiske mælkeproduktion i Danmark samt de gældende og kommende rammer herfor. Desuden diskuteres perspektiverne i en økologisk mælkeproduktion baseret på 100% økologisk foder. Mælkeproduktionens omfang er gennem en kraftig vækst nået op på ca. 10% af den indvejede mælk i 2000. Markedet ser på kort sigt ud til at nærme sig en mætning, hvilket afspejler sig i en faldende merpris til producenten. Der identificeres to overordnede tendenser i udviklingen af produktionen inden for rammerne af 100% økologisk fodring: Den ene med en fastholdelse af de nuværende mål omkring produktionsniveau mv. per dyr, opnået ved en tilpasning af grovfoderkvalitet og økologisk dyrket tilskudsfoder. Den anden trend med en drejning mod en mælkeproduktion som ønskes udviklet ud fra en mere overordnet udvikling af økologisk produktion

Mælkeproduktion baseret på 100 procent økologisk dyrket foder

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Økologisk mælkeproduktion - reduceret foderniveau og strategisk anvendelse af tilskudsfoder

På den økologiske forsøgsstation Rugballegaard blev der i 1996 etableret tre produktionssystemer omfattende husdyr og sædskifte. Formålet var at belyse de overordnede bedriftsmæssige konsekvenser af økologiske produktionssystemer med kombinationer af kvæg og svin i forhold til specialiseret produktion af kvæg henholdsvis svin. Dette indlæg omhandler resulter vedrørende køerne og mælkeproduktionen. Formålet med forsøgene med malkekvægbesætningen var at undersøge malkekøernes produktion, reproduktion, sundhed og foderudnyttelse samt mælkens kvalitet, når køerne blev fodret på et reduceret niveau med grovfoder alene (primært frisk og/eller konserveret kløvergræs) eller suppleret med små mængder tilskudsfoder først i laktationen