Operational strategies for optimizing grazing when using automatic milking systems in organic dairy production

Successful grazing when using AMS is possible without having to devote a great deal of time to organize and fetch cows every day. However, a careful strategy and good infrastructure, and observation of cow behaviour and pasture are necessary, and the herd has to adapt to the chosen design and routines. In practice, sectional permanent grazing, part-time grazing and structured rotational grazing have been shown to be successful, in terms of allowing outdoor grazing while still maintaining milking frequency and milk yield. In addition, part-time grazing can be combined with either of the other two systems

Profitability of organic and conventional dairy production with different dietary proportions of high-quality grass silage

Profitability in milk production was calculated using diets with three different proportions of high-quality grass silage. The treatments consisted of the same feeds, but differed in the dietary proportion of forage: low (L), medium (M) and high (H), representing one conventional and two organic diets. The calculations were based on results in feed intake and milk production from a large dairy cow experiment. In the calculations, three different districts with different conditions for farming were used as models, and calculations were performed on two different herd sizes. In addition, current financial supports were both included and excluded in the calculations. The results showed only minor differences in profitability between using in average 60% or 70% of dry matter (DM) of silage in diets used in organic production. In conventional production, it was profitable to increase the average dietary proportion of silage from 50% to 60% of DM when the prices of concentrate and grains were as high as at the present. The results showed clear economic benefits of increasing the proportion of high-quality silage in conventional Scandinavian dairy cow diets up to levels similar to the standards of the organic production system

Establishing trampling-resistant mixed swards: a comparison of four seed mixtures

Increasing herd size often brings major challenges in maintaining dense swards, especially near cow houses. High-quality, trampling-resistant swards are crucial for grazing management, animal welfare and environmental protection. A field experiment initiated in July 2012 (triplicate plots) at Uppsala, Sweden, is comparing four seed mixtures with regard to establishment rate, resistance to trampling and grazing behaviour. The mixtures comprise forage and amenity cultivars of smooth meadow-grass (Poa pratensis) and red fescue (Festuca rubra), with/without inclusions of white clover (Trifolium repens), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Degree of ground cover was evaluated by spatial analysis of Unmanned Aircraft System photographs (taken May, July, Sept. 2013, April 2014) and field measurements (plants m-2) (August 2012, May 2013). Botanical composition was determined in May 2014. The seed mixture with tall fescue (35% cv. Borneo) established significantly more slowly than other mixtures (P<0.05), but by September 2013 had the highest ground cover (70%) due to a high proportion of white clover. In May 2014, all four mixtures had sufficient ground cover after winter (~86%). Next, the treatments will be intensively grazed and trampling resistance and grazing behaviour analysed

The effect of sward height and season on herbage intake of dairy cows in a rotational grazing system

Dans L’Essai philosophique concernant l’entendement humain de John Locke, connu en français par la traduction de P. Coste (1700), l’expression « l’abus des mots » est reprise telle quelle de l’anglais « abuse of words ». Les philosophes français s’en sont rapidement emparés ; Helvétius intitule un chapitre de son ouvrage De l’esprit : « de l’abus des mots ». Condillac, dans son Essai sur l’origine des connaissances humaines, reprend l’idée d’une langue approximative érodée par l’usage et qui ..

The effect of sward height and season on herbage intake of dairy cows in a rotational grazing system

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