Estimation of Milk Production from Smallholder Dairy Cattle in the Coastal Lowlands of Kenya

A study was carried out on 92 smallholder farms in Kwale district in Coast Province of Kenya to estimate the milk yield. The effect of concentrate feed supplementation on milk yield was also evaluated. Data were collected during a one-year observational longitudinal study. Analysis was done for 371 observations following 63 calving events. The mean annual milk offtake was estimated at 2021 kg/cow. Forty-nine (77.8%) of the lactating cows were supplemented with concentrate feeds at varying rates of 0.5-3.0 kg/cow per day. Supplementary feeding of lactating cows led to a significantly higher mean daily milk yield compared to non-supplemented cows throughout the year (p < 0.05). The mean annual milk offtake from supplemented cows (2195 kg/cow) was 18.6% more than offtake from non-supplemented cows, a difference that was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Therefore, supplementary feeding of commercial feed concentrates was a rational management practice. It was also concluded that milk production from smallholder dairy cows in the coastal lowlands of Kenya was comparable to that from similar production systems but lower than national targets.     

EM发酵玉米秸秆和青贮玉米秸秆对奶牛生产性能的对比试验

本试验应用EM发酵玉米秸秆和青贮玉米秸秆饲喂奶牛,以观察两种方法处理的玉米秸秆对奶牛生产性能及经济效益的影响效果。结果表明,用EM发酵的玉米秸秆饲喂奶牛较青贮玉米秸秆饲喂奶牛,每天每头奶牛采食量提高1.03%,平均产奶量提高2.02%,经济效益提高0.13元;EM原液发酵的玉米秸秆和青贮玉米秸秆1∶1混合饲喂奶牛,每天每头奶牛采食量、平均产奶量、经济效益分别比饲喂青贮玉米秸秆的奶牛提高2.85%、2.99%和1.15元。     

Studies with ammonized straw pellets used as a sole basal diet in the feeding of ruminants. 1. Feeding trials with dairy cows fed ammonized straw pellets as a sole basal diet]

Feeding trials were performed with two groups of dairy cows receiving ammonized straw pellets supplemented with varying levels of concentrates as sole basal diet. The trials were carried out over periods of 546 days and 120 days. An annual milk production of 4217.9 kgs (calculated on the basis of 3.5% of milk fat) per cow was achieved in group I by feeding 3060.6 kgs of straw pellets and 2014.7 kgs of concentrates per animal. After subtracting all additives an amount of 2641.1 kgs of pure straw (= 52%) and of 2434.2 kgs of concentrated food (= 48%) remained so that the resulting amount of dry feed consumed per 100 kg of milk was 120.3 kg. A total of 6309.6 kgs of milk was produced per cow over a period of 546 days of trial. During this period the average weight gain per cow was 98.4 kgs. 1517.3 kgs of milk (calculated on the basis of 3.5% milk fat) per cow were produced in group II (56 cows) over a period of 105 days by feeding 892.5 kgs of straw pellets and 682.5 kgs of concentrate pellets. The concentrate pellets contained 50% of ammonized dried sugar beet chips but not extracted meals.     

奶牛复合酶制剂FE907对泌乳早期奶牛生产性能和经济效益的影响

目的:研究酶制剂对泌乳奶牛生产性能和疾病的影响.方法:选取28头泌乳荷斯坦奶牛,随机分为2组,每组14头.2组奶牛在全混合日粮上分别添加0、20 g/(头·d)复合酶制剂FE907,实验期4周.结果:实验组奶牛日均产乳量提高了1.6 kg/d(P＞0.05);实验组乳脂率比对照组提高0.08％,乳脂量提高0.09 kg/d,差异显著(P＜0.05),乳蛋白率提高0.06％,乳蛋白量提高0.07 kg/d,经济效益每天每头奶牛比对照组多盈利6.28元.结论:奶牛日粮中添加20 g/(头·d)的奶牛复合酶制剂FE907,可以提高产乳量,改善乳成分,提高经济效益,同时,可以在一定程度上降低患乳房炎的风险.     

不同方式处理的全株玉米青贮对奶牛生产性能和经济效益的影响

[目的]探究不同方式制备的全株玉米青贮饲喂奶牛后,对其生产性能和经济效益的影响。[方法]选定中国荷斯坦牛开展全株玉米青贮饲喂试验。将28头奶牛随机分为对照组和试验组,每组14头。前者饲喂不添加菌剂制备的全株玉米青贮,后者饲喂添加青贮菌剂制备的全株玉米青贮。统计各组奶牛日均干物质采食量、日均产奶量、料重比、乳脂率和乳蛋白率,计算各组奶牛日均经济效益和试验期总经济效益。[结果]采用添加青贮菌剂制备的全株玉米青贮饲喂奶牛后,奶牛日均干物质采食量和料奶比与对照组差异不显著,但日均产奶量、平均乳脂率和乳蛋白率显著提高（P<0.05）。每头牛日均产奶量增加1.91 kg,乳脂率增加0.22个百分点,乳蛋白率增加0.06个百分点。试验组经济效益明显提高,每头牛日均经济效益增加4.73元,正试期内总经济效益增加1 986.60元。[结论]采用添加青贮菌剂的全株玉米青贮饲喂奶牛,能有效提高奶牛的生产性能和经济效益。     

Impact of feeding pattern and feed purchase on area- and cow-related dairy performance of organic farms

Livestock production and ruminants in particular are an integral part of the organic mixed farming concept. In this paper, the feeding patterns of 26 organic dairy farms in two different regions in Germany are analysed, with particular emphasis on the amount and proportion of concentrates and purchased feed related to the dairy performance expressed per cow and hectare. Calculated on an energy basis (MJ NEL), the annual average milk yield of 6737 kg cow^− 1 is derived from roughage (74%), concentrates and cobs (23%), and commercial processing by-products (e.g., spent grains) (3%). Per cow and year, 937 kg dry matter (DM) (range: 0–2724 kg) of concentrates are fed with an intensity of 135 g kg^− 1 milk (range: 0–378 g kg^− 1). Approximately 65% of the concentrates and commercial processing by-products are purchased. The area-related milk yield is almost 7000 kg ha^− 1. For fodder production, 0.96 ha per cow is needed, of which 0.85 ha is farm land. The equivalent production area for purchased fodder is 0.11 ha. In the analysed region in northwestern Germany, most correlations between milk yield and analysed feeding parameters are close and significant. This is in contrast to the region in the south, where the variability of amount and proportion of the different feed types is predominantly independent of the milk yield. Intensification of dairy production to increase milk performance using a higher proportion of concentrates and purchased feed at some of the analysed farms needs to be carefully assessed according to the organic farming profile.     

Long-term feeding of acetyl urea to dairy cows

After an introductory survey of investigations dealing with the conversion of acetyl urea in the ruminant organism, a feeding trial using dairy cattle is described in which the effects of long-term acetyl urea feeding on the clinical picture and various performance parameters have been studied. Five Black-Pied cows of medium milk yield were fed a natural diet and received, over at least 14 months, a daily acetyl urea supplementation of 430 g (= 40 to 44% of the digestible crude protein). The clinical control, including the analysis of blood parameters, did not produce any deviation from normal. As to milk and butterfat yields, the experimental group reached results comparable to those of the control group. Over the entire experimental period the experimental group and the control averaged per cow and day of milking 11.1 and 11.3 kg FCM, respectively. The reproductive behaviour proved normal for all the cows under study. Postmortem findings of 4 cows revealed, among other things, chronic kidney alterations that cannot be safely exluded to be caused by the experiments. A stress over several months of two cows fed 850 g acetyl urea per day was not found to affect animal performance and health.     

Management, feeding, production, reproduction and udder health on organic and conventional Swiss dairy farms

Organic dairy farms (OP; n=60) and conventional dairy farms (integrated production, IP; n=60), matched in size, location, and agricultural zone (altitude), were studied for possible differences in management, feeding, production, reproduction and udder health. OP and IP farms were similar in size (17.7 and 16.9 ha), milk quota (65900 and 70,000 kg/year), cow number (14 and 15), cow age (5.3 and 5.2 years), housing of cows of the Simmental x Red Holstein or Holstein breeds (87 and 75%; 45 and 60%), but differed significantly with respect to loose housing systems (18 and 7%), outside paddocks (98 and 75%), energy-corrected 305-d milk yield (5,695 and 6,059 kg), milk protein content (31.8 and 32.7 g/kg), use of bucket milking systems (73 and 33%), observance of regular (12-h) milking intervals (47 and 68%), routine application of the California-Mastitis-Test (10 and 28%), teat dipping after milking (25 and 43%) and blanket dry cow treatments (0 and 45%). Milk somatic cell counts on OP and IP farms (119 000 and 117,000/mL) and reproduction data were similar and there were no significant differences between OP and IP farms as concerns available feeds, planning and management of feeding. Alternative veterinary treatments were used more often on OP than IP farms (55 and 17%). Main causes for cow replacements on OP and IP farms were fertility disorders (both 45%), age (40 and 42%), sale (30 and 37%) and udder health (35 and 13%).Between OP and IP Swiss dairy farms thus relatively few larger differences were found.     

普通青贮玉米与微生物青贮玉米对奶牛产奶量的对比试验

研究普通青贮玉米和微生物青贮玉米对奶牛产奶量的影响.选取20头生理情况基本一致黑白花奶牛,分为试验组和对照组进行交叉对比试验.结果显示：饲喂微生物青贮玉米的奶牛,产奶量比饲喂普通青贮玉米的高2.27 kg,每天纯收入多7.93元.     

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Effects of long‐term feeding of genetically modified corn (event MON810) on the performance of lactating dairy cows

A long‐term study over 25 months was conducted to evaluate the effects of genetically modified corn on performance of lactating dairy cows. Thirty‐six dairy cows were assigned to two feeding groups and fed with diets based on whole‐crop silage, kernels and whole‐crop cobs from Bt‐corn (Bt‐MON810) or its isogenic not genetically modified counterpart (CON) as main components. The study included two consecutive lactations. There were no differences in the chemical composition and estimated net energy content of Bt‐MON810 and CON corn components and diets. CON feed samples were negative for the presence of Cry1Ab protein, while in Bt‐MON810 feed samples the Cry1Ab protein was detected. Cows fed Bt‐MON810 corn had a daily Cry1Ab protein intake of 6.0 mg in the first lactation and 6.1 mg in the second lactation of the trial. Dry matter intake (DMI) was 18.8 and 20.7 kg/cow per day in the first and the second lactation of the trial, with no treatment differences. Similarly, milk yield (23.8 and 29.0 kg/cow per day in the first and the second lactation of the trial) was not affected by dietary treatment. There were no consistent effects of feeding MON810 or its isogenic CON on milk composition or body condition. Thus, the present long‐term study demonstrated the compositional and nutritional equivalence of Bt‐MON810 and its isogenic CON.     

奶牛日粮添加"NPN"补充料试验研究

[目的]为了解"NPN"的饲喂效果.[方法]选取年龄、体重、胎次、泌乳阶段、日产奶量相近的中低产奶牛24头,随机区组为试验组和对照组,每组12头.对山西省现代农业研究中心和山西省农业科学院畜牧兽医研究所联合开发的专利产品"反刍动物'NPN'补充料"进行了为期70 d的应用试验.[结果]表明:试验组12头奶牛70 d总产...     

添加番茄渣单贮和混贮对奶牛生产性能和经济效益的影响研究

研究番茄渣单贮或混贮替代部分全株玉米青贮对奶牛生产性能和经济效益的影响,为今后在奶牛科学养殖中开发和利用非常规饲料资源提供理论依据和技术支持。试验选择体重、泌乳期、胎次和产奶量相近且健康无疾病的30头泌乳前中期荷斯坦奶牛于内蒙古巴彦淖尔市临河区双河镇嘉益奶牛养殖合作社进行为期50 d的饲养试验。结果表明,番茄渣经过单贮或混贮(分别与梨渣、玉米秸秆、小麦秸秆混贮)后用于奶牛日粮中替代部分全株玉米青贮,可有效的降低玉米青贮的使用,降低生产成本,显著提高乳蛋白率(P<0.05)、乳脂率(P<0.05)和奶牛产奶量(P<0.05),提高养殖效益。番茄渣单贮或混贮可提高奶牛生产性能和经济效益,并可作为一种非常规饲料资源在奶牛业中进行推广应用。     

Relationship between feeding behaviour and feed intake of dairy cows depending on their parity and milk yield

To investigate the relationship between the parameters of feeding behaviour and feed intake, 70 lactating dairy cows (23 primiparous and 47 multiparous) were monitored from the 2nd to 15th week of lactation. Data were collected by using an automatic feeder and electronic identification of individual cows from 10 July 2005 to 16 January 2006. The resulting data of the cows in primiparous and multiparous condition were categorised into groups based on the mean of their milk yield over the first 15 weeks of lactation: primiparous cows with below-average milk yield (LP) and above-average milk yield (HP) with an average of 28.44 and 34.31 kg energy-corrected milk (ECM) per day, respectively, and multiparous cows with below-average milk yield (LM) and above-average milk yield (HM) with an average of 38.70 and 44.49 kg ECM per day, respectively. The parameters of feeding behaviour were calculated based on the estimated meal criterion from pooled data. Parity, level of milk yield, and day had significant effects on some of characteristics of feeding behaviour and feed intake parameters. There was no significant difference in meal duration either between primiparous and multiparous cows or between LP and HP. However, a significant difference between LM and HM was observed. Cows in HM had shorter feeding times but a larger meal size, higher DMI, and feeding rate. Moreover, these cows displayed a stronger correlation between meal duration, daily mealtime and daily feed intake (r = 0.37 and 0.50, P < 0.001, respectively) than any other cow or group of cows of the study. Meal duration, daily mealtime, meal size and daily DMI increased on average about 32%, 20%, 35%, and 22% respectively, considering all milk yield groups from the 2nd to 15th week of lactation.     

A field study on the effects of dietary monensin on milk production and milk composition in dairy cows

The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of 16 ppm of dietary monensin on milk production and composition of dairy cows, and to investigate factors having a potential impact on this effect. Data were generated from a total of 3577 Holstein dairy cows (47 herds) in Quebec enrolled in a herd-level, randomized clinical trial investigating the effects of monensin supplementation. Milk production and composition data were collected from monthly dairy herd improvement (DHI) testing. Monensin increased milk production by 0.9 kg/cow/d in cows under 150 days in milk (DIM) (P < 0.05). Monensin decreased milk fat percentage by 0.18 percentage points during the whole lactation (P < 0.05). This decreasing effect was larger for component-fed cows (P < 0.05) and for cows being fed low levels of dietary physically effective particles (P < 0.05) when compared respectively to cows fed total mixed ration and cows fed high levels of dietary physically effective particles. The results of this study suggest that monensin influences milk production and milk composition of dairy cows, and that diet composition and feeding system influence those effects.     

增加奶牛使用胎次的重要性及其改善措施分析

对于牧场来说,只有保持高产奶量和更多使用胎次,才能获得更高的奶牛饲养收益.多项研究表明,奶牛的使用胎次与生产性状之间存在显著的相关性.奶牛在3～5胎次时,其产奶量达到最高,牛奶品质较高.本文通过对使用胎次与奶牛生产性能的关系和影响奶牛使用胎次的因素进行分析,探讨增加奶牛使用胎次的改善措施,以期为现代化牧场确定奶牛淘汰胎...     

Impact of α‐amylase supplementation on energy balance and performance of high‐yielding dairy cows on moderate starch feeding

In dairy cows, exogenous α‐amylase is suggested to improve starch utilization and positively affect performance and health traits linked to energy balance and fertility. In a 1‐year feeding experiment, 421 cows were orally supplemented with α‐amylase (treatment: 12.5 g/kg dry matter (DM) addition rate to a concentrated feed) or non‐supplemented (control) on the basis of an ad libitum total mixed ration (TMR). Every cow was allocated to a high‐ (≥32 kg milk/day) or late‐lactation group (<32 kg milk/day), in which the TMR starch content was 220 ± 20.8 g/kg DM and 183 ± 24.8 g/kg DM, respectively. The energetic effect of α‐amylase supplementation seemed to be exclusively related to the high‐lactation stage (5–100 days in milk) in primiparous cows, where the daily milk yield was 32 ± 0.49 versus 31 ± 0.50 kg per cow in the treatment versus control group (P < 0.05). The pluriparous cows did not benefit from the supplementation that way. In neither primiparous nor pluriparous cows, was the milk composition, the fat‐to‐protein ratio, the somatic cell score, the backfat thickness, serum total bilirubin, β‐hydroxybutyrate and the fertility found to be systematically affected by α‐amylase supplementation.     

奶牛产乳热影响因子及预防措施

产乳热是奶牛产犊后泌乳造成血钙水平下降而引发的营养代谢性疾病，其发生病率非常高，对奶牛健康和生产性能影响较大。产乳热增加了奶牛生育性炎症、生殖障碍和内分泌、消化等方面疾病发生的几率，对养殖业造成很大的损失。影响奶牛产乳热的因素有很多，不仅包括奶牛品种、年龄、体况评分、产乳热史等牛自身因子，也包括饲养管理层面的因素，如泌乳天数、干奶期、产犊间隔的控制及奶牛饲料营养水平的调控，还与气候、环境等外界因素相关，这些影响因子往往相互交织，增加了奶牛产乳热的预防和治疗难度。作者综述了奶牛产乳热的发病机理，分析研究了各种因子对奶牛产乳热的影响机制，并介绍了几种预防措施，主要包括对奶牛饲养环境的管理、产犊间隔和泌乳情况的控制和奶牛不同阶段饲料营养水平的调控，以期为降低奶牛产乳热提供理论依据。     

奶牛专用脲酶抑制剂复合预混料提高奶牛产奶量效果的试验

通过32头健康泌乳奶牛进行饲喂奶牛专用脲酶抑制剂复合预混料的对比试验.结果表明,饲喂脲酶抑制剂复合预混料的试验组,泌乳奶牛平均日产标准乳22.81kg/头,对照组泌乳奶牛平均日产标准乳20.12kg/头,产奶量提高13.37%(P<0.05);校正体重后试验组比对照组提高产奶量14.41%,差异显著(P<0.05);提高饲料转化率13.43%,差异显著(P<0.05);提高经济效益13.68%,增收效益明显。     

饲粮NDF/NFC对泌乳后期奶牛瘤胃甲烷排放量、营养物质表观消化率及生产性能的影响

为研究不同中性洗涤纤维/非纤维性碳水化合物(NDF/NFC)饲粮对泌乳后期奶牛甲烷排放量、营养物质消化率和生产性能的影响,试验选用体重(777.46±27.31)kg、胎次(1.5±0.15)胎、泌乳天数(242.92±15.28)d、产奶量(18.75±0.62)kg/d的奶牛12头,随机分配到3组,每组4头。各组饲粮NDF/NFC分别为2.10(精粗比为42:58)、1.96(精粗比为37:63)、1.52(精粗比为30:70),采用六氟化硫(SF_6)示踪技术测定自然状态下泌乳奶牛甲烷排放量。预试期14 d,正试期9 d。结果表明:饲喂不同NDF/NFC饲粮的泌乳后期奶牛甲烷排放量、甲烷能、单位干物质采食量的甲烷排放量以及单位总能摄入量的甲烷能均有显著差异;随着NDF/NFC降低,奶牛生产性能、饲料转化率和营养物质消化率无显著差异。综上,在不影响奶牛健康和生产性能的前提下,NDF/NFC为1.52的低NDF组饲料能显著降低泌乳后期奶牛瘤胃甲烷排放量。     

新疆冬季密闭高、中产奶牛牛舍碳、氮、硫排放的对比

试验旨在比较高产和中产奶牛牛舍的空气状况。试验选取高产奶牛和中产奶牛牛舍各一栋,密闭采集测定甲烷（CH_4）、氨气、硫化氢和二氧化碳4种气体的浓度。结果表明：高产奶牛牛舍中甲烷、氨气、硫化氢和二氧化碳4种气体的浓度比中产奶牛牛舍中的各气体浓度分别提高2.69%、32.51%、3.58%和66.95%。每头高产奶牛每天排放CH_4 296.15g,每产1kg标准乳排放CH_4 11.61g。每头中产奶牛每天排放CH_4 210.54g,每产1kg标准乳排放CH_4 12.08g。随着采食量增加,牛舍中甲烷、氨气、硫化氢和二氧化碳的浓度也会增加。高产奶牛每产1kg标准乳的CH_4排放量比中产奶牛低3.89%。