RT Journal Article
T1 Sward Factors Influence on Pasture Dry Matter Intake of Grazing Dairy Cows: A Review
A1 Roca Fernández, Ana Isabel
A1 González-Rodríguez, A.
K1 Defoliation frequency and intensity
K1 Grazing dairy cattle
K1 Grass feeding value
K1 Grass
K1 Legume species
K1 Sward characteristics
K1 Pasture dry matter intake
AB Successful pasture-based milk production systems pivot on balancing dairy cows’ feed requirements with seasonal and annual fluctuations in pasture production. In order to maximise cow production from grazing dairy systems, it is necessary to reach an efficient utilization of grazed grass for feeding cows and the de velopment of appropriate grazing management systems designed to maximize daily pasture dry matter in take (PDMI) per cow and per hectare, while maintaining high sward quality over the grazing season by keeping high pasture levels of crude protein, water soluble carbohydrates and digestibility of organic matter and low levels of acid and neutral detergent fibers in the swards. To maximize PDMI, cows need to con sume plants that have characteristics that allow rapid consumption and lead to fast rates of passage through the rumen. This review considers the role of sward factors which affect the short-term feed budget of cows at pasture and, therefore, condition cow feed requirements at grazing and influence on PDMI. Furthermore, it highlights the relevance that have for the development of pasture-based milk production systems the study of the species of grasses and/or legumes that integrate the pastures, the changes on sward structure, the seasonality in grass production, the pasture chemical constituents, the sward botanical composition, the grass feeding value, the digestibility of pastures, the intensity of sward defoliation, and the importance of sward height and herbage mass in relation to maximizing PDMI. The amount of herbage consumed is the major determinant of cow production but it is yet one of the most difficult aspects of forage quality to pre dict. In this review, three methods for PDMI calculation are presented as faecal output/diet digestibility method, sward difference method and the grazing-behaviour method. Also, three equations for PDMI esti mation are described considering different sward and animal variables.
PB Islamic Azad University
SN 2251-628X
YR 2013
FD 2013-12-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/39235
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/39235
LA eng
NO Roca-Fernández, A. I. & González-Rodríguez, A. (2013). Sward Factors Influence on Pasture Dry Matter Intake of Grazing Dairy Cows: A Review. Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Science 3(4), 629-651. https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Article/1024060
NO Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria. RTA2005-00204-00 [Evaluación de la eficacia de sistemas sostenibles de producción de leche a través de la aplicación de sistemas de soporte de decisiones y de metodologías prácticas de estimación de la ingestión de nutrientes en explotaciones comerciales de Galicia]
DS Minerva
RD 28 abr 2026