Oats (Avena strigosa) as winter forage for dairy cows in Vietnam: an on-farm study

Abstract

In North Vietnam, during winter, alternative forage resources are needed to balance the feed ration of dairy cows. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of oat forage as a component of traditional winter roughage diets on feed intake, milk production and feeding cost in dairy cows. The study was conducted on-farm using 24 mid-lactation Holstein-Friesian cows. The feeding experiment consisted of two successive periods and two dietary treatments per period. Traditional basal diets included fresh tropical grasses, maize silage and hay. The oat forage had no effect on the dry matter intake of the basal diet, but the total crude protein intake was higher in cows fed with oat diets than in those fed with control diets. The yield of butterfat-corrected milk (FCM) was not significantly different between diets during period 1, but there was a trend (P = 0.078) of higher FCM yields in cows fed with the oat diet compared to those with control diet during period 2 (17.3 vs. 16.3 kg/day). The decline rate in milk yield was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in cows fed with control diets than in those fed with oat diets in both experimental periods. The total feeding cost of cows fed with oat diets was on average 12 % lower than those fed with control diets (P < 0.01). So, the oat forage is an important winter resource for cows in North Vietnam allowing higher milk yield whilst reducing feeding cost, compared to traditional roughage diets.

Effects of supplementation of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatá and Napier grass with Desmodium distortum on feed intake, digesta kinetics and milk production in crossbred dairy cows

“…In the present study, CP and OM contents of Napier grass were higher than those found by other studies ( Lounglawan et al., 2014 , Mutimura et al., 2015 ). Nonetheless, Salgado et al. (2013) reported similar CP content, but higher NDF and ADF concentrations than those found in the present study.…”

Tamanho de parcela e número de repetições em aveia preta

“…A cultura é utilizada em sistemas de sucessão ou rotação de culturas, por apresentar menor velocidade de decomposição da palhada e liberação gradual de nutrientes, em relação a outras plantas de cobertura (CRUSCIOL et al, 2008), apresentando também elevada produção de massa verde e capacidade de proteção do solo (MARTINS et al, 2008;SOUZA et al, 2009). Ainda, de acordo com SALGADO et al (2013), a utilização de aveia preta como planta forrageira, na alimentação de vacas leiteiras, aumenta o volume de leite produzido e reduz os custos, em relação à utilização de outras dietas volumosas.…”

An Assessment of In-service Training Needs for Agricultural Extension Field Staff in the Scenario of Climate Change using Borich Needs Assessment Model

“…To this end, Asian countries should also consider increasing fodder production, which would decrease reliance on imported feed ingredients and also decrease cost of feeding. Lower costs of protein and energy supply from fodder/forages than from concentrates has been recorded (Salgado et al, 2012). Development of the animal industry based on locally available feed resources is expected to decrease livestock's carbon footprint and reliance on the trade.…”