Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration
The economics of grazing dairy cows offered a range of herbage allowances and fed supplements as a partial mixed ration (PMR) were examined where profit was defined as the margin between total milk income and the cost of pasture plus PMR supplement. The analysis made use of milk production and feed...
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1704 |
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| author | Christie K. M. Ho Martin J. Auldist Marlie M. Wright Leah C. Marett Bill Malcolm William J. Wales |
| author_facet | Christie K. M. Ho Martin J. Auldist Marlie M. Wright Leah C. Marett Bill Malcolm William J. Wales |
| author_sort | Christie K. M. Ho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The economics of grazing dairy cows offered a range of herbage allowances and fed supplements as a partial mixed ration (PMR) were examined where profit was defined as the margin between total milk income and the cost of pasture plus PMR supplement. The analysis made use of milk production and feed intake data from two dairy cow nutrition experiments, one in early lactation and the other in late lactation. In early lactation and at a PMR intake of 6 kg DM/cow per day, the profit from the cows with access to a medium herbage allowance (25 kg DM/cow per day) was AUD 1.40/cow per day higher than that for cows on a low allowance (15 kg DM/cow per day). At a higher PMR intake of 14 kg DM/cow per day, the profit from the cows on a medium herbage allowance was AUD 0.45/cow per day higher than the cows on a low allowance; there was no additional profit from increasing the herbage allowance from medium to high (40 kg DM/cow per day). In late lactation, the profit from the cows fed a PMR with a medium herbage allowance (20 kg DM/cow per day) was only higher than the cows on a low allowance (12 kg DM/cow per day) when the PMR intake was between 6 and 12 kg DM/cow per day. There was also a difference of AUD +0.50/cow per day between the PMR with medium and high herbage allowance (32 kg DM/cow per day). It was concluded that farmers who feed a PMR to dairy cows should offer at least a medium herbage allowance to optimize profit. While feeding additional PMR increases milk production and profit, further gains would be available by offering a higher herbage allowance. These findings provide an estimate of the net benefits of different herbage allowances when feeding a PMR and will enable farmers to manage their feeding systems more profitably. |
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| language | English |
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| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-216a4835af4a4fea905cd76a27e74bdc2023-11-21T23:07:55ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-06-01116170410.3390/ani11061704Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed RationChristie K. M. Ho0Martin J. Auldist1Marlie M. Wright2Leah C. Marett3Bill Malcolm4William J. Wales5Agriculture Victoria, 5 Ring Road, Bundoora VIC 3083, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank VIC 3821, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank VIC 3821, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank VIC 3821, AustraliaFaculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank VIC 3821, AustraliaThe economics of grazing dairy cows offered a range of herbage allowances and fed supplements as a partial mixed ration (PMR) were examined where profit was defined as the margin between total milk income and the cost of pasture plus PMR supplement. The analysis made use of milk production and feed intake data from two dairy cow nutrition experiments, one in early lactation and the other in late lactation. In early lactation and at a PMR intake of 6 kg DM/cow per day, the profit from the cows with access to a medium herbage allowance (25 kg DM/cow per day) was AUD 1.40/cow per day higher than that for cows on a low allowance (15 kg DM/cow per day). At a higher PMR intake of 14 kg DM/cow per day, the profit from the cows on a medium herbage allowance was AUD 0.45/cow per day higher than the cows on a low allowance; there was no additional profit from increasing the herbage allowance from medium to high (40 kg DM/cow per day). In late lactation, the profit from the cows fed a PMR with a medium herbage allowance (20 kg DM/cow per day) was only higher than the cows on a low allowance (12 kg DM/cow per day) when the PMR intake was between 6 and 12 kg DM/cow per day. There was also a difference of AUD +0.50/cow per day between the PMR with medium and high herbage allowance (32 kg DM/cow per day). It was concluded that farmers who feed a PMR to dairy cows should offer at least a medium herbage allowance to optimize profit. While feeding additional PMR increases milk production and profit, further gains would be available by offering a higher herbage allowance. These findings provide an estimate of the net benefits of different herbage allowances when feeding a PMR and will enable farmers to manage their feeding systems more profitably.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1704marginal response functionsprofitabilitypasture allowance |
| spellingShingle | Christie K. M. Ho Martin J. Auldist Marlie M. Wright Leah C. Marett Bill Malcolm William J. Wales Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration Animals marginal response functions profitability pasture allowance |
| title | Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration |
| title_full | Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration |
| title_fullStr | Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration |
| title_short | Economic Analysis of Offering Different Herbage Allowances to Dairy Cows Fed a Partial Mixed Ration |
| title_sort | economic analysis of offering different herbage allowances to dairy cows fed a partial mixed ration |
| topic | marginal response functions profitability pasture allowance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1704 |
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