There is increasing interest from farmers and nutritionists into the inclusion of fresh grass into dairy cow diets.
We invite you to take DairyCo’s new research investigating the effects of increasing the proportion of grass in the diet of high yielding zero-grazed dairy cows:
The significant savings made from replacing expensive bought in feeds, in particular protein, is well recognized. The additional cost of silage making for TMR diets is also a consideration.
Grazing has been the traditional method for grass utilisation, but this is not always practical on some farms.
Robotic Milking Systems, in-accessible land and heavy soils present problems. Monitoring intake is also difficult. Zero grazing can overcome some of these problems, but the harvesting method is important. Methods such as cut and throw are labour intensive and damage to the cut grass can accelerate heating of the crop. The term “Zero Grazing” is also a misnomer as often cattle will graze and grass will be fed as a supplement to maintain yields. Reliable research into the cost benefits of cutting and carting grass is scant. Research carries out over a decade ago in Ireland with outdated equipment is the most widely referenced information.
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