Effect of Stocking Rate and Grazing Initiation Date on Milk Production per Unit Area under Rotational Grazing System

YAYOTA Masato, NISHIMICHI Yukiko, YAYOTA Chizuru, NAKATSUJI Hiroki, KONDO Seiji, OKUBO Masahiko

doi:10.14941/grass.48.401

Effect of stocking rate and grazing initiation date on milk production was studied. About two hectares grass-clover mixed sward was divided evenly into two paddocks and each paddock was grazed by five (G5) and seven (G7) Holstein lactating cows. Grazing was commenced on May 1 in 1995 (early initiation date) and May 20 in 1996 (late initiation date). Herbage mass was higher in G5 than in G7. CP content of herbage was slightly higher and NDF content of herbage was lower in G7 than each in G5. Late initiation date brought higher herbage mass during grazing period than that of early initiation date. CP content of herbage was lower in late initiation date than that in early initiation date and NDF content of herbage was higher in late initiation date than that in early initiation date, in particular from July to August. Total herbage intakes of G5 and G7 during grazing period in early initiation date were 7.2 and 8.2tDM/ha and those of G5 and G7 in late initiation date were 7.2 and 7.8tDM/ha, respectively. FCM yields derived from herbage in G5 and G7 during grazing period in early initiation date were 8.2 and 9.8 t/ha and those of G5 and G7 in late initiation date were 7.8 and 9.3 t/ha, respectively. These results suggested that high stocking rate produced more milk output per unit area, but date of grazing initiation had no clear effect on milk production.

Effect of Stocking Rate and Grazing Initiation Date on Milk Production per Unit Area under Rotational Grazing System

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