A 2´2 factorial design experiment with 32 spring-calving Hereford-Ayrshire and 31 Limousine-Ayrshire suckler cows was conducted to compare the effects of diets based on hay (H) or urea-treated straw (US) at two feeding levels (moderate; M and low; L) on the performance of cows and their calves. For feeding level L, the amount of feed was restricted to 70% of that for feeding level M. Diet H was based on hay while for the US-diet, hay was replaced by urea-treated straw and barley (M:1.1 and L:0.8 kg dry matter, DM/day/ animal). Urea-solution was included in the H-diet to balance protein intake with respect to US-diets. Untreated straw was also offered on all diets. Feeding pre partum commenced by offering 1.0 kg/day of a barley-rapeseed meal mixture from day 60 to 30 and 1.5 kg/day from day 30 to 0 pre partum. Post partum cows received 3.0 kg/day of the same mixture. All cows were in calf to Charolais sires. During the mating period, cows were inseminated after oestrus synchronisation and subsequently exposed to a bull.Average daily intakes of the cows were on treatment MH 9.1 kg DM/day and 77.4 MJ metabolizable energy (ME), on treatment MUS 8.5 kg DM and 67.2 MJ ME, on treatment LH 6.9 kg DM and 58.9 MJ ME and on treatment LUS 6.7 kg DM and 53.7 MJ ME, respectively. Live weight gain (LWG) during the indoor feeding was lower (P<0.01) for cows on feeding level L than M. Cows fed US-based diets lost more (P<0.05) live weight (LW) during indoor feeding than those based on H-diets. Cows replenished LW losses at pasture and there were no differences in LW between treatments at the end of the grazing season. Imposed feeding treatments and the sex of the calf had no affect on the incidence of calving difficulty. There were no significant treatment effects on calf LWG or suckler cow milk production. During mating 69.3% of all experimental cows successfully conceived. The low level of feeding had no adverse affects on cow or calf health, but depressed et al. Effect of feeding level and diet type on performance of suckler cowsreproductive performance. Cows replenished LW losses during the grazing period on sufficient good quality pasture. Urea-treated straw proved to be a suitable winter feed for spring calving suckler cows.

The objective of the experiment was to study the effects of two pre partum and four post partum feeding levels on the performance of 28 Hereford-Ayrshire and 30 Limousine-Ayrshire spring-calving mature cows in calf to Limousin and their calves from the beginning of indoor feeding until the end of grazing under Finnish climatic conditions. A 2 × 2 factorial design experiment consisted of a low (L) and moderate (M) pre partum feeding levels based on hay and straw and two post partum concentrate feeding levels, 1.5 and 3.5 kg/d (1 and 2, respectively). The treatments were replicated across the genotypes. For feeding level L the amount of roughage offered was restricted to proportionately 0.7 on a dry matter (DM) basis of feeding level M. Milled barley was offered at 1.3 kg DM/ d to all cows 72 days pre calving. The experiment was divided into two parts, an indoor feeding (215 days) and grazing period (114 days). The indoor feeding period included three periods, from start of the study to the beginning of additional concentrate feeding (P1) and feeding additional concentrate supplements both pre (P2) and post calving (P3).On feeding level M cows had a daily intake of 9.1 and 10.4 kg DM during periods P1 and P2, respectively. During period P3 intake was 10.4 and 12.0 kg DM for 1 and 2. Corresponding values for feeding level L were 6.7, 8.0, 8.0 and 9.7 kg DM, respectively. At the onset of grazing, cows on feeding level M were 47 kg heavier (P<0.05) than those on feeding level L. At pasture, cows fed feeding level L had a higher (P<0.001) live weight gain (LWG) than those on feeding level M. Cows fed less concentrate lost more (P<0.001) live weight from calving to grazing than those receiving higher amounts (-1241 vs. -588 g/d) but compensated for these losses (P<0.05) at pasture. Post partum concentrate feeding did not affect cow condition. During indoor feeding cows receiving a lower level of feeding lost more (P<0.05) condition (-0.67 vs.-0.09 for L and M, respectively). Pre partum treatments did not lead to calving difficulties. Treatments had no effect on calf LWG pre weaning. Cows had a mean milk production of 11.8 kg/d and an average conception rate of 86.8%. Cows on diet L1 appeared to receive enough energy for satisfactory cow and calf performance. The Manninen, M. & Huhta, H. Effects of feeding levels on performance of suckler cowscurrent data indicates that feeding levels pre calving have a greater significance on cow and calf performance than the plane of nutrition post calving.

The present study evaluated the effects of feeding strategies with alternative feeds on the performance of mature suckler cows and their progeny during indoor feeding and subsequent grazing. In both experiments, a 2 × 2 factorially arranged design consisted of two feeding strategies (Step-up, S; Flat-rate, F) and two diets (Control, C; Alternative, A). The aim of Strategy F was to offer the cows the same amount of energy as offered on Strategy S, but at a constant daily level. In Experiment 1, cows on Diet C were offered grass silage and straw and on Diet A grass silage and a fl our-mill industry by-product. On Strategy S, feeding was stepped with barley (0, 1.5 and 3.5 kg d -1 ). On Strategy F, barley was offered 1.43 kg per head daily. In Experiment 2, cows were offered either grass silage (C) or whole-crop barley silage (A) as a sole feed. Strategy S was carried out by offering 68, 95 and 119 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) per cow daily. On Strategy F, roughage was given daily 97 MJ ME. In both experiments, there were no signifi cant differences between treatments in the cow live weight, body condition score, calf pre-weaning live weight gain and cow reproduction. Strategy F can be practised in the nutrition of mature suckler cows in marginal circumstances. Flour-mill industry by-product can partly replace grass silage and straw in the winter diet. Wholecrop barley silage can be offered as a sole feed to suckler cows with good body condition score in autumn.

In order to update fertilisation recommendations for Finnish silty and sandy soils, the effects of repeated phosphorus (P) fertilisation on the yields of cereals, grasses and other crops were measured at ten sites for 9 to 18 years. Results of some earlier studies were also used in examining the relationships of the yield responses to applied P and to the soil test values measured by the Finnish ammonium acetate method (P Ac ). Significant effects of P fertilisation were observed at all sites that had low or medium P Ac values; in the case of potatoes, even at sites with fairly high values. The mean relative yield without applied P divided by yield with 60 or 45 kg P ha -1 of the ten sites was 81% (mean P Ac 11.6 mg dm -3 ) varying from 55% at the P Ac value of 4.7 mg dm -3 to 100% at the highest P Ac values. In order to achieve a relative yield of 97%, which is considered the optimum for cereals and leys, the required mean annual application of P in the later parts of the experiments was 25 kg ha -1 (variation 0−42 kg ha -1). On the six soils that had low or medium P Ac values (4.5−9.1 mg dm ). Reasons for the poor availability of P in silty and sandy soils were discussed.

As part of a research project concerning the agricultural utilization of cut-away peat bogs, a sod production experiment was conducted at Valkeasuo, Tohmajärvi, in 1990-1993. The aim of the experiment was to study the effect of nitrogen and choice of cultivar on sod production and sod quality on peat bogs. The N fertilization rates were 50, 100 and 150kg ha-1. The Poa pratensis cultivars were ‘Conni’, ‘Cynthia’, ‘Haga’ and ‘Julia’, the Festuca rubra cultivars were ‘Center’, ‘Juliska’, ‘Koket’ and ‘Näpsä’ and the Agrostis capillaris cultivar was ‘Rasti’. Two mixtures of P. pratensis/F. rubra and one of A. capillaris/F. rubra imitated commercial sod products. Increasing of N fertilization from 50 kg up to 150 kg ha-1 a had positive effect on general the quality of sod as well as on the green cover before and after transplanting. It increased the thatch formation. The positive effect of N on the number of tillers and green cover in the year following transplanting was dependent on the species and the cultivar. Species and cultivar affected all measured variables excluding thatch formation. Generally, the P. pratensis cultivars tested suited better for sod production than cultivars of F. rubra, but there were clear differences between cultivars within species as well. Although the soil was infertile, the contents of Ca, K, Mg, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo and Zn in the herbage samples were within normal range. The botanical purity was high, which supports the hypothesis that the absence of seed bank of weeds on peat bogs immediately after harvesting the peat can be utilized.