Milk production and herbage intake of crossbred holstein x zebu cows grazing a Brachiaria decumbens pasture under two daily forage allowances

This work was carried out from December/95 to February/96 to evaluate the effect of two herbage allowances, 4 and 8 kg green herbage dry matter/100 kg live weight, on milk yield of crossbred cows grazing Signalgrass (Brachiaria decumbens). A completely randomized design was used, and milk yield corrected to 4% fat was analyzed by covariance. During the first and second grazing cycles, herbage availabilities were 4392±974 and 2598±591 kg/ha green herbage dry matter in the paddocks, respectively. Herbage allowances had no effect on crude protein, neutral detergent fiber contents, dry matter digestibility, forage intake and milk yield. Average values observed were: crude protein (9.5%), IVDMD (56,4%), NDF (70.1%), forage intake of 12.4 kg dry matter intake/cow/day and daily milk yield of 11.0 kg/cow.

feeding value; grazing pressure