Pasture systems for milk production in northern Australia

Author: P.N. Thurbon, G.D. Chopping, T.M. Davison & R.T. Cowan
Year: 1983
Issue: 1
Volume: 13
Page: 7 - 9

Substantial increases in milk production can be achieved using improved pastures. When grazed at lenient stocking rates ( <1,6 cows/ha) milk yields of Friesian cows was ca. 4000 L/lactation. Productivity per unit area is increased when fertilizer nitrogen is used to maintain grass pasture. Rye-grass (Lolium spp) and clovers (Trifolium spp) have been successfully used to boost milk production in winter. These pastures support stocking rates of  ca. 6 cows/ha over this period and average levels of milk production of 14,5 L/cow/day. Alternatively, the tropical grasses can be supplemented with either molasses or grain.

Keywords: grazing dairy cows, milk production, pastures, stocking rate, supplementary feeding, tropical milk production
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