The effect of target postgrazing height on sward clover content, Herbage yield, And dairy production from grass-white clover pasture

Journal of Dairy Science

Volumn 96, Issue 3, 2013, Pages 1598-1611

  Phelan, P ^a,b   Casey, I A ^b   Humphreys, J ^a  

^a ANIMAL AND GRASSLAND RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CENTRE   (Ireland)

^b Ireland   (Ireland)

Author keywords

Milk yield; Perennial ryegrass; Postgrazing height; White clover

Indexed keywords

ANIMAL; ANIMAL FOOD; ARTICLE; CATTLE; CHEMISTRY; CLOVER; DAIRYING; FEMALE; LACTATION; LOLIUM; METHODOLOGY; MILK; PHYSIOLOGY; SILAGE;

ANIMAL FEED; ANIMAL NUTRITIONAL PHYSIOLOGICAL PHENOMENA; ANIMALS; CATTLE; DAIRYING; FEMALE; LACTATION; LOLIUM; MILK; SILAGE; TRIFOLIUM;

BOS; FRIESIA; LOLIUM PERENNE; TRIFOLIUM; TRIFOLIUM REPENS;

EID: 84874314238     PISSN: 00220302     EISSN: 15253198     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2012-5936     Document Type: Article

References (76)

1. Acuña P.G., Wilman D. Effects of cutting height on the productivity and composition of perennial ryegrass-white clover swards. J. Agric. Sci. 1993, 121:29-37.
2. Auerswald K., Schäufele R., Schnyder H. Paths of nitrogen transfer from Trifolium repens to non-legume plants in unfertilised pastures. Grassland Science in Europe 2010, 15:752-754. European Grassl. Fed., Kiel, Germany.
3. Bao J., Giller P., Stakelum G. Selective grazing by dairy cows in the presence of dung and the defoliation of tall grass dung patches. Anim. Sci. 1998, 66:65-74.
4. Baudracco J., Lopez-Villalobos N., Holmes C., Macdonald K. Effects of stocking rate, supplementation, genotype and their interactions on grazing dairy systems: A review. N. Z. J. Agric. Res. 2010, 53:109-133.
5. Bax, J. A., and R. L. Schils. 1993. Animal responses to white clover. In White Clover in Europe: State of the Art. REUR Technical Series 29. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. Accessed Sept. 12, 2010. http://www.fao.org/docrep/v2350e/v2350e00.htm.
6. Binnie R.C., Harrington F.J. The effect of cutting height and cutting frequency on the productivity of an Italian ryegrass sward. Grass Forage Sci. 1972, 27:177-182.
7. Binnie R.C., Kilpatrick D.J., Chestnutt D.M.B. Effect of altering the length of the regrowth interval in early, mid- and late season on the productivity of grass swards. J. Agric. Sci. 1997, 128:303-309.
8. Christophe A., Moulia B., Varlet-Grancher C. Quantitative contributions of blue light and PAR to the photocontrol of plant morphogenesis in Trifolium repens (L.). J. Exp. Bot. 2006, 57:2379-2390.
9. Creighton P., Kennedy E., Shalloo L., Boland T.M., O'Donovan M. A survey analysis of grassland dairy farming in Ireland, investigating grassland management, technology adoption and sward renewal. Grass Forage Sci. 2011, 66:251-264.
10. Curran J., Delaby L., Kennedy E., Murphy J., Boland T., O'Donovan M. Sward characteristics, grass dry matter intake and milk production performance are affected by pre-grazing herbage mass and pasture allowance. Livest. Sci. 2010, 127:144-154.
11. Davies A. Competition between grasses and legumes in established pastures. Competition and Succession in Pastures 2001, 63-83. CABI, Wallingford, UK. P.G. Tow, A. Lazenby (Eds.).
12. Del Pozo M., Wright I.A., Whyte T.E., Colgrove P.M. Effects of grazing by sheep or goats on sward composition in ryegrass/white clover pasture and on subsequent performance of weaned lambs. Grass Forage Sci. 1996, 5l:142-154.
13. Del Prado A., Misselbrook T., Chadwick D., Hopkins A., Dewhurst R.J., Davison P., Butler A., Schröder J., Scholefield D. SIMSDAIRY: A modelling framework to identify sustainable dairy farms in the UK. Framework description and test for organic systems and N fertiliser optimisation. Sci. Total Environ. 2011, 409:3993-4009.
14. Dewhurst R.J., Delaby L., Moloney A., Boland T., Lewis E. Nutritive value of forage legumes used for grazing and silage. Ir. J. Agric. Food Res. 2009, 48:51-70.
15. Doyle C.J., Bevan K. Economic effects of legume-based grassland systems. Legumes in Sustainable Farming Systems. Occas. Symp. No. 30 1996, 247-257. Br. Grassl. Soc., Reading, UK. D. Younie (Ed.).
16. Drewry J.J., Cameron K.C., Buchan G.D. Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing-A review. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 2008, 46:237-256.
17. Edmonson A., Lean I., Weaver L., Farver T., Webster G. A body condition scoring chart for Holstein dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 1989, 72:68-78.
18. Edwards G.R., Parsons A.J., Newman I.A., Wright I.A. The spatial pattern of vegetation in cut and grazed grass/white clover pastures. Grass Forage Sci. 1996, 51:219-231.
19. Elgersma A., Schlepers H. Nitrogen and ash concentrations in grass/clover mixtures. Legumes in Sustainable Farming Systems. Occas. Symp. No. 30 1996, 230-232. Br. Grassl. Soc., Reading, UK. D. Younie (Ed.).
20. Falconer, L. L., G. W. Evers, and L. A. Ribera. 2011. Economic analysis of high fertilizer input, over-seeded clover and native pasture production systems in the Texas coastal bend. Pages 1-9 in South. Agric. Econ. Assoc. Annu. Mtg., Corpus Christi, TX. Accessed Sep. 20, 2012. http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:saea11:98740.
21. Frame J., Boyd A.G. The effect of fertilizer nitrogen rate, white clover variety and closeness of cutting on herbage productivity from perennial ryegrass/white clover swards. Grass Forage Sci. 1987, 42:85-96.
22. Frame J., Laidlaw A. Managing white clover in mixed swards: Principles and practice. Revista Pastos. 1998, 28:5-33.
23. Gibb M.J., Baker R.D. Effect of changing grazing severity on the composition of perennial ryegrass/white clover swards stocked with beef cattle. Grass Forage Sci. 1989, 44:329-334.
24. Greenwood K.L., McKenzie A.B. Grazing effects on soil physical properties and the consequences for pastures: A review. Aust. J. Exp. Agric. 2001, 41:1231-1250.
25. Gylfadóttir T., Helgadóttir á., Høgh-Jensen H. Consequences of including adapted white clover in northern European grassland: Transfer and deposition of nitrogen. Plant Soil 2007, 297:93-104.
26. Harris S.L., Auldist M.J., Clark D.A., Jansen E.B. Effects of white clover content in the diet on herbage intake, milk production and milk composition of New Zealand dairy cows housed indoors. J. Dairy Res. 1998, 65:389-400.
27. Hatch D., Murray P. Transfer of nitrogen from damaged roots of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to closely associated roots of intact perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Plant Soil 1994, 166:181-185.
28. Héraut-Bron V., Robin C., Varlet-Grancher C., Guckert A. Phytochrome mediated effects on leaves of white clover: Consequences for light interception by the plant under competition for light. Ann. Bot. (Lond.) 2001, 88:737-743.
29. Høgh-Jensen H., Loges R., Jørgensen F.V., Vinther F.P., Jensen E.S. An empirical model for quantification of symbiotic nitrogen fixation in grass-clover mixtures. Agric. Syst. 2004, 82:181-194.
30. Holmes C.W., Wilson G.F., Mackenzie D.D.S., Flux D.S., Brookes I.M., Davey A.W.F. Milk Production from Pasture 2002, Butterworths, Wellington, New Zealand. 3rd.
31. Humphreys J., Casey I.A., Laidlaw A.S. Comparison of milk production from clover-based and fertilizer N-based grassland on a clay-loam soil under moist temperate climatic conditions. Ir. J. Agric. Food Res. 2009, 48:71-89.
32. Humphreys J., Mihailescu E., Casey I.A. An economic comparison of systems of dairy production based on N fertilized grass and grass-white clover grassland in a moist maritime environment. Grass Forage Sci. 2012, 67:519-525.
33. Jarrige R. Ruminant Nutrition: Recommended Allowances and Feed Tables 1989, John Libbey Eurotext, Montrouge, France.
34. Jarrige R., Demarquilly C., Dulphy J.P., Hoden A., Robelin J., Beranger C., Geay Y., Journet M., Malterre C., Micol D., Petit M. The INRA " fill unit" system for predicting the voluntary intake of forage-based diets in ruminants: A review. J. Anim. Sci. 1986, 63:1737-1758.
35. Keating T., O'Kiely P. Comparison of old permanent grassland, Lolium perenne and Lolium multiflorum swards grown for silage: 3. Effects of varying fertiliser nitrogen application rate. Ir. J. Agric. Food Res. 2000, 39:35-53.
36. Kennedy E., Curran J., Mayes B., McEvoy M., Murphy J.P., O'Donovan M. Restricting dairy cow access time to pasture in early lactation: The effects on milk production, grazing behaviour and dry matter intake. Animal 2011, 5:1805-1813.
37. Kleen J., Taube F., Gierus M. Agronomic performance and nutritive value of forage legumes in binary mixtures with perennial ryegrass under different defoliation systems. J. Agric. Sci. 2011, 149:73-84.
38. Laidlaw A.S., Withers J.A., Toal L.G. The effect of surface height of swards continuously stocked with cattle on herbage production and clover content over four years. Grass Forage Sci. 1995, 50:48-54.
39. Le Du Y.L.P., Combellas J., Hodgeson J., Baker R.D. Herbage intake and milk production by grazing dairy cows: 2. The effects of level of winter feeding and daily herbage allowance. Grass Forage Sci. 1979, 34:249-260.
40. Lee J.M., Donaghy D.J., Roche J.R. Effect of defoliation severity on regrowth and nutritive value of perennial ryegrass dominant swards. Agron. J. 2008, 100:308-314.
41. Lee J.M., Donaghy D.J., Roche J.R. Short communication: Effect of postgrazing residual pasture height on milk production. J. Dairy Sci. 2008, 91:4307-4311.
42. Lee J.M., Donaghy D.J., Sathish P., Roche J.R. Interaction between water-soluble carbohydrate reserves and defoliation severity on the regrowth of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)-dominant swards. Grass Forage Sci. 2009, 64:266-275.
43. Li D., Lanigan G., Humphreys J. Measured and simulated nitrous oxide emissions from ryegrass-and ryegrass/white clover-based grasslands in a moist temperate climate. PLoS ONE 2011, 6:e26176.
44. Maher J., Stakelum G., Rath M. Effect of daily herbage allowance on the performance of spring-calving dairy cows. Ir. J. Agric. Food Res. 2003, 42:229-241.
45. Mayne C.S., Newberry R.D., Woodcock S.C., Wilkins R.J. Effect of grazing severity on grass utilization and milk production of rotationally grazed cows. Grass Forage Sci. 1987, 42:59-72.
46. McCarthy B., Delaby L., Pierce K., Journot F., Horan B. Meta-analysis of the impact of stocking rate on the productivity of pasture-based milk production systems. Animal 2011, 5:784-794.
47. McEvoy M., Delaby L., Murphy J.P., Boland T.M., O'Donovan M. Effect of herbage mass and allowance on sward characteristics, milk production, intake and rumen volatile fatty acid concentration. Grass Forage Sci. 2010, 65:335-347.
48. McEvoy M., O'Donovan M., Kennedy E., Murphy J.P., Delaby L., Boland T.M. Effect of pregrazing herbage mass and pasture allowance on the lactation performance of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 2009, 92:414-422.
49. McFarlane N., Ciavarella T., Smith K. The effects of waterlogging on growth, photosynthesis and biomass allocation in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) genotypes with contrasting root development. J. Agric. Sci. 2003, 141:241-248.
50. McGechan M. A review of losses arising during conservation of grass forage: Part 1. Field losses. J. Agric. Eng. Res. 1989, 44:1-21.
51. McGechan M. A review of losses arising during conservation of grass forage: Part 2. Storage losses. J. Agric. Eng. Res. 1990, 45:1-30.
52. 2 fixation in mixed clover-grass pasture. Plant Soil 2005, 275:317-325.
53. Menneer J.C., Ledgard S.F., McLay C.D.A., Silvester W.B. The effects of treading by dairy cows during wet soil conditions on white clover productivity, growth and morphology in a white clover-perennial ryegrass pasture. Grass Forage Sci. 2005, 60:46-58.
54. Morgan D.J., Stakelum G., O'Dwyer J. Modified neutral-detergent cellulose digestibility procedure for use with the " Fibertec" system. Isr. J. Agric. Res. 1989, 28:91-92.
55. Moser, E. B. 2004. Repeated measures modelling with proc mixed. Pages 1-19 in SAS Users Group International Conference 29. Vol. Paper 188.29, May 9-12, 2004, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
56. National Farm Survey. 2007-2009. Published results. Farm Surveys Department, Teagasc, Rural Economy Research Centre, Athenry, Ireland. Accessed Sept. 6, 2011. http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2011/1016/NFS10.pdf.
57. Nie Z.N., Ward G.N., Michael A.T. Impact of pugging by dairy cows on pastures and indicators of pugging damage to pasture soil in southwestern Victoria. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 2001, 52:37-43.
58. O'Donovan M., Delaby L., Stakelum G., Dillon P. Effect of autumn/spring nitrogen application date and level on dry matter production and nitrogen efficiency in perennial ryegrass swards. Ir. J. Agric. Food Res. 2004, 43:31-41.
59. O'Donovan M., Lewis E., O'Kiely P. Requirements of future grass based ruminant production systems in Ireland. Ir. J. Agric. Food Res. 2011, 50:1-21.
60. O'Mara F. A Net Energy System for Cattle and Sheep 1996, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.
61. Parsons A., Johnson I., Harvey A. Use of a model to optimize the interaction between frequency and severity of intermittent defoliation and to provide a fundamental comparison of the continuous and intermittent defoliation of grass. Grass Forage Sci. 1988, 43:49-59.
62. Parsons A.J., Penning P.D. The effect of the duration of regrowth on photosynthesis, leaf death and the average rate of growth in a rotationally grazed sward. Grass Forage Sci. 1988, 43:15-27.
63. Peyraud J., Comeron E., Wade M., Lemaire G. The effect of daily herbage allowance, herbage mass and animal factors upon herbage intake by grazing dairy cows. Ann. Zootech. 1996, 45:201-217.
64. Phelan P., Keogh B., Casey I.A., Humphreys J. The effects of rotation length and cutting height in autumn on the productivity of a perennial ryegrass-white clover sward. Ir. J. Agric. Food Res. 2009, 48:140. (Abstr.).
65. Phelan, P., B. Keogh, E. Fitzgerald, I. A. Casey, and J. Humphreys. 2011. The effect of trampling by dairy cows on a rotationally grazed grass-clover sward. Page 7 in Proc. Br. Grassl. Soc. 10th Res. Conf., Belfast. British Grassland Society, Warwickshire, UK.
66. Power E.F., Stout J.C. Organic dairy farming: Impacts on insect-flower interaction networks and pollination. J. Appl. Ecol. 2011, 48:561-569.
67. Ribeiro Filho H.M.N., Delagarde R., Peyraud J. Inclusion of white clover in strip-grazed perennial ryegrass swards: Herbage intake and milk yield of dairy cows at different ages of sward regrowth. Anim. Sci. 2003, 77:499-510.
68. Rochon J.J., Doyle C.J., Greef J.M., Hopkins A., Molle G., Sitzia M., Scholefield D., Smith C.J. Grazing legumes in Europe: A review of their status, management, benefits, research needs and future prospects. Grass Forage Sci. 2004, 59:197-214.
69. Rutter S.M. Diet preference for grass and legumes in free-ranging domestic sheep and cattle: Current theory and future application. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 2006, 97:17-35.
70. SAS Institute. 2006. SAS User Guide. Version 9.1. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.
71. Schils, R. L. M., and K. Sikkema. 2001. The effect of cutting height and management system on the performance of a grass/clover sward. In Lowland Grasslands of Europe: Utilization and Development. REU Technical Series 64. G. Fisher and B. Frankow-Lindberg, ed. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. Accessed July 20, 2010. http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/AD236E/ad236e00.htm.
72. Sun X., Luo N., Longhurst B., Luo J. Fertilizer nitrogen and factors affecting pasture responses. Open Agric. J. 2008, 2:35-42.
73. Thompson L. The influence of the radiation environment around the node on morphogenesis and growth of white clover (Trifolium repens). Grass Forage Sci. 1993, 48:271-278.
74. Tyrrell H.F., Reid J. Prediction of the energy value of cow's milk. J. Dairy Sci. 1965, 48:1215-1223.
75. World Bank. 1990-2012. Commodity trade and price trends. World Bank, Washington, DC. http://www.worldbank.org.
76. Yayato M., Chizuru S., Yukiko N., Hiroki N., Seiji K., Okubo M. Seasonal changes of area of dung patches under strip grazing for lactating dairy cows. Grassl. Sci. 2000, 46:101-110.