Digestible grass good for protein
A dietary fibre level of 33-35% NDF is important for good rumen function. This is readily met by good intakes of high-quality grass grazed at 1,300-1,400kg of dry matter cover (three-leaf stage).
On the other hand, grazing heavy covers of stemmy grass puts too much NDF in the diet, causing decreased total dry matter intake, due to slow-down of digestion rates, lower energy content per kg of feed eaten, and reduced milk yield and milk protein content.
Where grass growth is outstripping demand, keep control of diet quality by setting pre-grazing grass yield to 1,400kg of DM, and removing heavy covers as surplus bales. Use the grass wedge to make these decisions.
Where grass deficits arise, supplement with a high-UFL, low-protein ration containing digestible fibre (pulps), to hold rotation length and maintain intake. High quality bales saved during high growth periods can be used very effectively here. With grazed grass now making up 80-100% of the diet for most herds, changes to sward composition can have a large effect on milk solids output. Labour saving: how many grazings are you getting from each paddock? Are you using a 12-hour wire throughout summer? Farmers’ experience suggests that three grazings per paddock minimises work with wires and is ideal for grass growth and animal performance.
