Dairy Learning LabRoughage for Dairy ProductionUganda 11-12 MarchZambia 17-18 March

Gidi Smoldersorganimprove@upcmail.nl

Content of this presentation

Importance of roughage

a) On soils and plots

b) On grass species

c) On conservation of roughage

d) On feed rations

e) On feeding for dairy

f) On herd and cow management

g) On advisory

Importance of roughage

Traditional systems Improved systems

Type of roughage

Percentage of by-products

Energy in feed

Digestibility determent by feed and animal species

– Feed with high crude fibre and cellulose = > low digestibility

• Mature stemmy grass, old hay, straw

– Feed low in crude fibre and cellulose => high digestible.

• Grains, animal by products, roots.

– Cattle, goats, sheep (as ruminants) and

horses (with a large colon-caecum) digest cellulose fairly easily.

– Pigs and chicken (as mono gastric animals) do not digest cellulose very easily.

a) on soils and plots

General approach animal management

All manure used/ compost making

No overgrazing

Different types of roughage

Legumes: alfalfa, lespedeza, soybeans, and clovers. Lower stem and more leaf content.

Grasses: Napier/Elephant grass, timothy, Bermuda grass, and wheat / oats fresh. More stem and lower leaf content

Legumes and grasses have about the same energy content, Legumes have much higher protein, calcium, and carotene contents.

Types of feed supply

Grazing with supplementary feed at nightAnimals graze during the day in a paddock ob natural or improved pasture, are tethered on private owned or communal land, or are herded on communal land or roadsides. Usually stabled at night

Zero grazing or cut and carry systemAnimals are kept day and night in one pace and all feed and water is brought to them. Roughage can be cultivated on own land or collected from roadsides, riverbanks and forests or purchases from other farmers nearby

b) on grass species

Perennial grasses to reduce re-sewing costs

Napier, Setaria, Molasses, Signal, Dinanath grass

Grasses

Perennials Official name grazing Yield/ha

Protein Remarks

Napier Pennisetum purpureum

In young stage

high 10 summer fodder on bunds

Setaria Setaria anceps Well grazed 4-31t DM

9 Can cause milkfever

Molasses Melinis Minutiflora

Well grazed high 7 silvipasture system as summer fodder

Signal Brachiariadecumbens

Well grazed Fairly high

8 PhotosensitizationLow digestibility

Dinanath Pennisetumpedicellatum Trin Nigeria grass,

Not suitable

high 7 low digestibility

LegumesPerennials Official name grazing Yield/ha Protein Remarks

Centro Centrosema molle

Mixed with grass

high 19 Climbing plant

Siratro Microptitium atropurpureum

Light grazing 5-12 t DM

16 Climbing plant

Desmodium Demodium uncinatum

Can be grazed, mixed

7-9 tDM

15 Low digestibility

Desmodium intortum

Well grazed 12-19t DM

15 Low digestibilityTannins against internal parasites

Stylo Stylosanthes spp Well grazed 6 t DM 16 Silvipasture system

Kudzu Pueraria montana

Well grazed low 15

Glycine Neonotoniawightii

Well grazed 4-10 t DM

17 Perennial soybean

Centurian No info

Improving grazing pastures

Energy of Napier grass

Feed DM CP CF dOM GE TDN DE ME NE

Napier grass, 40 cm 20 9.8 29.7 61.4 17.4 52 9.6 7.9 5.2

Napier grass, 80 cm 20 9 28.6 50.0 17 46 8.5 7 4.6

Napier grass, early bloom 25 7.2 36.1 45.0 16 39 7.2 6.2 4

Napier grass, hay 93.6 10.7 35.3 59.2 18 54 10 8 5.3

Napier grass, only tops 25 13.2 32.9 65.2 17.8 63 11.6 9.5 6.3

Napier grass, silage 27.8 6.6 38.5 55.6 17.3 48 8.9 7.2 4.8

TDN = dNFC + dCP +((dEE-1) 2.25) + dNDF -7

Amount of milk from maximum amount of roughage intake of a 450 kg cow

Roughage DM-intake

ME/kg DM MEintake

Maintenance Kg milk

Napier grass, 40 cm 13 7.9 103 55 9.2

Napier grass, 80 cm 12 7.0 91 55 5.6

Stylo, areal parts 13 8 104 55 9.4

Pineapple leaves 12 7.7 100 55 8.7

Maize silage, 25-30%DM 13 14 182 55 24.4

Rice straw, low quality 11 4.5 50 55 - 1.0

Maintenance of 450 kg cow is 55 ME1 kg of milk with 4% fat requires 5.2 ME

c) on the conservationof roughage

Cutting frequency and effect on the nutrient content of forage

Stage ofmaturity

(Month)

Protein % Neutral detergent fiber (%)

Energy Mcal/ kg

Berseem Othergrass

Berseem Other grass

Berseem Other grass

1 22 16 37 53 1.50 1.5

2 20 15 39 59 1.40 1.38

3 18 9 40 65 1.33 1.30

4 16 8 45 66 1.29 1.24

5 14 7 49 69 1.24 1.20

6 - 6 - 70 - 1.15

Effect of maturity on dry matter and digestibility of maize

Effect of stage of maturity on digestibility of dry matter

Feed well stored

Hay making process

Hay making during sunny days only. You need a few day (4-5 days) without rain and no or little dew in the night and morning. Preferably a bit of wind.

Cut the crop when it is in flowering stage. Not in a too old stage because the feeding value drops while the crop matures. Harvest not in a very young stage because then you lose too much valuable small particles while turning it. Leaves are more nutritious than the stems, and so when cutting forage, it is important that it is cut with as much leaf and as little stem as possible

Sundry the cut crop by keeping them upside down.Turn the fodder frequently for even drying and to avoid mould formation on lower side.

Measures in making hay (1)

Take care that not much leaf portion is fallen which is nutritious. So turn with care and when you use machines, drive not to fast.

When moisture is reduced to 15%, properly stake it in such a way that rain water will not seep inside and spoil the entire hay. That can be on three-pot wooden constructions or indoors.

Take care that the material is dry enough (<15% moisture) when you store it indoors. If it is too wet there is a risk of getting warm (and loosing feeding value) and there is even a risk that it spontaneously takes fire.

You can keep hay for a long time without losing quality (at least one year).

Measures in making hay (2)

Silage making proces

Measures in making silage (1)

All green grasses and almost all grains can be used to make silage.

You can cut in a more mature stage but keep in mind that the feeding

value drops while the crop matures. In an more mature stage you harvest

more material but less feeding value. Harvesting in a very young stage:

you loose much valuable small particles while turning it. Leaves are more

nutritious than the stems, and so when cutting forage, it is important that

it is cut with as much leaf and as little stem as possible.

Seed of forage sorghum or maize should be soft but not milky when you

squeeze it open.

Napier grass could be a metre high although it has more feeding value

when it is shorter. Legumes should have young pods which are not dry.

If it has been raining and the forage is wet, or if the forage is immature

(the seed is very milky) then it is best to harvest it and leave it in the sun

for a few hours or a day to wilt (too much water in the forage can spoil the

silage). In stable weather grass can be withed till 45% DM to help the

silage process.

Measures in making silage (2)

The chopping area or silage pit must be clean and ready for the forage.The pits should be in an elevated area where ground water seepage is not there.

Construct only side walls with cement and brick / cut stone. Lining should not be done in bottom to facilitate excess water released in the process of silage to percolate.

Fill the silage pits with chaffed fodder layer by layer.

Ensure proper compaction whether pit or bag silage is being made. The air should be out of the material and out of the pit as much as possible. The more air is pushed out the less risk for failures. When you have a tractor, drive over it, wheel by wheel so you press all-over the material. This is the most important part of the ensiling process.

Seal the silage material and make sure the silo is air tight. Silage is formed through anaerobic fermentation by microorganisms. Those organisms need sugar to be active. When the material doesn’t contain enough sugar (or is wet) add some molasses to promote

The process of fermentation completes in about three months and will be ready for use.

Carefully and step by step open a small portion of the silage when need arises for feeding and seal the remaining silage immediately after the removal.

You can keep silage for a long time without losing quality (at least two year)

Measures in making silage (3)

Speed of feeding silage: 5 ft/week

Width

5 ft

5 ft

5 ft

5 ft

5 ft

Characteristics of good-quality forage

• being relatively immature when harvested;• being green and leafy;• having soft, pliable stems;• being free from molds or mustiness;• being palatable;• and being free from foreign material.

The further a feed gets form this ideal, the poorer the quality and the more likely it will be thought of more as a roughage than forage.

Factors influencing roughage quality

Plant species: grass/ legume / grain

Soil fertility/fertilizer use

Weather conditions (dry/wet)

Harvest stage (young/mature)

Harvesting method

Storage quality and period

d) on feed rations

Why do animals need quality feed

Maintain the body• replace old cells, keep organs running,

keep it warm/cool and moveGrowth: • young animals and animals for meatReproduction• producing young animals/semen

LactationWork/labourOther products and uses

Feedstuff

Dry matter (DM) Water

Organic matter (OM) Inorganic matter (ash)

CarbohydratesLipidsProteinsVitamins

MineralsTrace elements

Requirements for Cu andZn per kg DM ration

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

4 mnd 9 mnd 16 mnd dry 15 kg

milk

20 kg

milk

25 kg

milk

30 kg

milk

35 kg

milk

40 kg

milk

Copper

Zinc

Feed Cu Zn

Grass slage 8.0 44

Maize silage 4.1 37

Fresh grass 8.2 44

Types of feed

• dry forages and roughages;• crude fibre >18%, starch and sugar low• forage is of higher quality than roughage

• pasture, range plants, and green forages;• Moisture >50%

• silages;• controlled fermentation (acids) that kill off bacteria, molds, and other

destructive organisms• energy feeds (cereals and by product, fruits and nuts);

less than 18% crude fiber, protein content less than 20%.• protein supplements;

plant origin (soybean meal, cottonseed meal), animal origin (fish meal), nonprotein nitrogen (urea)

• Mineral/vitamin supplements; Salt, bone meal, limestone, ensiled yeast, liver meal,

• fish oil, wheat germ oil, • nonnutritive additives; antibiotics, coloring agents, flavors, hormones, and

medicants

Energy system: energy in mega calory (Mcal) orenergy in mega joules (Mj) where

1 Mcal = 4.1868 Mj

Energy system feed-evaluation energy-system animal requirements

Gross energy (GE) => only in feedaverage feed contains18-20 Mj GE

Digestible energy (DE) DE system in animal

Digestibility varies from 30 – 95%

Total digestible nutrients TDN system in animals

1 kg TDN = 18.46 Mj DE

Metabolisable energy (ME) Me system in animals 1 kg of TDN = 15.14 Mj ME

Net energy (NE) NE system in animals

Energy in sugarcane forage18.2 Mj GE

11.3 Mj DE

0.61 kg TDN

9.3 Mj ME

8.1 Mj NE maintenace; 8.6 Mj NE growth; 6.7 Mj NE lactation

Different types of energy

• Simple Carbohydrates:– Glucose, Fructose, Galactose, Sucrose, Maltose and Lactose, all different sugars

• Complex (Carbohydrates) Polysaccharides such as– Starch, found in roots and tubers as well as in grain,– Hemicellulose (between sugar and cellulose chemically speaking),– Cellulose, the cell walls of plants. In more fibrous feeds, low in digestibility.– Lignin is not digestible to animals. In over mature hays, straws and hulls. High

lignin reduces digestibility of cellulose and other nutrients.

• Fats and oils. Found in seeds, grains, avocadoes etc. Fats contain2.25 times as much energy per kg compared to carbohydrates, but are usually expensive to produce.

Energy and protein for 1 kg of milk with different fat content

Milk fat (%) ME Energy

(MJ)

Crude protein

(g)

Calcium

(g)

Phosphorus

(g)

3.0 4.5 78 2.7 1.7

3.5 4.8 84 3.0 1.8

4.0 5.2 90 3.2 2.0

4.5 5.5 96 3.5 2.1

5.0 5.9 101 3.7 2.3

5.5 6.2 107 3.9 2.4

Energy for 1 kg of growth (Mj ME)

0

0,5

1

1,5

2

75 130 185 235 280 320 360 400 440 480

ME

Age in days

Growth at a younger age requires less energy

To calculate a ration you need to know:

• What an animal needs for maintainance and production– Requirements energy, protein, minerals and vitamins– Weight of the animal– Production of the animal (milk, growth, pregnancy)

• How much feed you have available

• Composition of available feeds

• Ration with amount of feeds

e) on feeding for dairy

Animal needs enough quality feed

• What is quality • Palatable => it must be eaten

• Not moulded => not healthy

• Must contain enough feeding value– energy: crude fiber, carbohydrates, sugar, starch

– Protein

– Minerals: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur, magnesium

– Trace elements: copper, zinc, iron, selenium, manganese, iodine, cobalt

– Vitamins: carotene (vitamin A), vitamin B12, vitamin E and vitamin D

Requirements dairy cows

Estimation of live-weight of cattle (in kg on y-axe) based on chest girth (in cm on x-axe)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

45

51

57

63

69

75

81

87

93

99

10

41

10

11

61

22

12

81

34

14

01

46

15

21

58

16

41

70

17

61

82

18

81

94

20

0

Weight in kg

Chest girth in cm

What does an animal require?

• What is the weight– A cow is between 200 and 600 kg

– A calf is between 20 and 50

– A one year old heifer is between 100 and 300

– A two year old heifer is between 180 and 600

• How much does it produce– Milk

– Growth = weight gain

– Pregnacy

Factors influencing dry matter intake

Animal factors-Weight of the animal- Yield

Feed factors- quality in terms of feeding value- dry matter content- quality in terms of taste, smell- how fast does it pass intestinal tract- amount of water supplied

What does an animal need of fresh grass when 75% of energy requirement is covered

What 1 cows 1 young Explanation

Energy per animal (ME) 135 67 The energy for 1 animal needs

From grass % 75 101 51 The energy from grass only

Energy from grass (ME) 7.9 13 6 Kg of dry matter from grass per animal

Dry matter grass (DM%) 0.2 65 32 The amount of grass 1 animal needs

To feed 1 cow with only fresh green grass as roughage it needs 65 kg. And 25% of the energy (= 34 Mj ME) from other sources.

To feed a heifer with only fresh green grass it needs 32 kg.And 25% of the energy (= 16 Mj ME) from other sources.

Energy for maintenace, growth and milk in ME (Mj)

Weightanimal

Kgmilk

Max DM-intake

Maintenance 1 kg growth 1 kg of milk, 4% fat

450 kg 650 kg

200 3 7 29 1.34 0.95 5.2

300 5 9 40 1.47 1.10 5.2

400 5 10.5 50 1.67 1.30 5.2

450 10 11.5 55 2.05 1.60 5.2

500 10 12 59 2.00 5.2

550 15 14.5 64 2.50 5.2

600 20 17.5 68 5.2

f) on herd and cowmanagement

Example from India: different feeding systems

Minerals

Minerals are required in small amounts but are important components of the ration. They are essential for cows to remain healthy and for the body to function properly, for the development and maintenance of strong bones and for successful reproduction and production of milk and eggs.

Macro-minerals are: are: Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sodium (Na), Sulphur (S), Chlorine (Cl), Magnesium (Mg).

Micro- or trace minerals are: Iron (Fe), Iodine (I), Copper (Cu), Cobalt (Co), Fluorine (F), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Molybdenum (Mo), Selenium (Se).

Some elements are antagonist or influence it effect

Mineral interaction

Ca

Cu

P

Mo

S

MgSe

Zn

Fe

Na

K

Mn

Cl

N

PbVitD

Cd

Requirement minerals different animal categoriesin gram per day (adult weight 400 – 600 kg)

Cattle Category kgDM Ca P Mg Na K Cl S

g g g g g g g

Calf 4 mnd 3.9 22 13 6.7 2.3 17 2.2 5.9

Heifer 9 mnd 5.6 20 13 10 3 26 3.3 8.9

Heifer 16 mnd 7.3 21 13 14 4 35 4.6 11

Cow dry 11.5 28 21 22 7 56 8.1 16.7

Cow 5 kg milk

Cow 10 kg milk 15 40 31 31 14 106 24 24

Cow 15 kg milk 16 50 39 34 16.3 120 30 28

Cow 20 kg milk 18.5 60 47 38 20 134 37 37

Cow 25 kg milk 19.75 70 55 42.5 23.7 148 44 39

Cow 30 kg milk 21 80 63 47 26.5 162 52 42

Cow 35 kg milk 22.25 90 71 51.5 30 176 59 44

Requirement trace elements different animal categories in gram per day (adult weight 400 – 600 kg)

Cattle Category kgDM Cu Co Mo J Zn Mn Fe Se

mg mg mg mg mg mg mg mg

Calf 4 mnd 3.9 56 0.4 0.39 2 111 98 363 0.4

Heifer 9 mnd 5.6 92 0.6 0.56 3 143 140 299 0.62

Heifer 16 mnd 7.3 132 0.7 0.73 3.5 183 183 267 0.87

Cow dry 11.5 277 1.2 1.15 5.5 246 460 345 1.44

Cow 5 kg milk

Cow 10 kg milk 15 216 1.7 1.5 8.5 380 640 100 2.1

Cow 15 kg milk 16 220 1.8 1.6 9 430 690 120 2.4

Cow 20 kg milk 18.5 227 1.9 1.85 9.5 490 740 150 2.72

Cow 25 kg milk 19.75 235 2.03 1.97 10.2 558 790 188 3.1

Cow 30 kg milk 21 244 2.15 2.1 10.8 626 840 225 3.47

Cow 35 kg milk 22.25 252 2.28 2.225 11.4 695 890 262 3.85

Composition of available feeds

Feed

Ds %

ME

mj

CP

gram

Ca

gram

P

gram

Napier grass, young 20 7.9 98 3.6 2.9

Napier grass, older 20 7.0 90 3.6 2.9

Rice straw 92 5 42 2.9 0.9

Mustard cake 88 12.5 16 0.5 11.1

Rice bran 90 6.7 88 4.7 7.4

Wheat grain 87 13.1 126 0.7 3.6

Distribution of main feed constituents on total feed intake (kg DM/head/year)

g) on advisory

Body condition: average is OK

Same feed? Different value (source: feedipedia)

Rice bran

Ds %

ME

mj

CP

gram

Ca

gram

P

gram

Rice bran, fibre < 4%90 15.8 142 0.6 13.9

Rice bran, fibre 4-11%90 13.1 148 0.7 17.0

Rice bran, fibre 11-20%90 10.1 127 0.7 13.8

Rice bran, fibre > 20%92 6.7 88 4.7 7.4

Rice bran, defatted, fibre < 11%90 11.4 160 0.8 12.1

Rice bran, defatted, fibre 11 -20%89 9.7 171 2.5 4.9

Rice bran, defatted, fibre >2092 4.9 67 0.8 12.1

Always feed available

Percentage of diet from roughage

Milk yield (kg/day) Basal diet DM (%) Supplement DM (%)

10-14 70 30

15-19 60 40

20-24 50 50

25 and more 40 60

The higher the production, the larger the risk that intake from roughage cannot meet the requirements of the animal.

Nutritional sources for livestock species

Manuals

Manuals about roughage and rations

Manual on improved feeing of dairy cattle by smallholder farmers (GART), 50p.

Improved dairy farming practices for small scale milk producers (WE EFFECT), 132p

Integrated small holder dairy farming manual (Heifer international Zambia), 97p.

Fodder banks in livestock and dairy production (Small holder drought mitigation programme), 69p

Module 7: Dairy cattle feeding (Kasisi agricultural training centre), 6p.

Dairy cattle feeding (presentation of Livestock services cooperative society), 9p

Monthly milk delivery (GART)

Not only milk yield affected – fertility, body weight, animal welfare.Is there a profit in feeding concentrates or by products?Conclusion: the progressive farmer does not use full potential of the cows in the wet season!!

How to express feeding value (GART)

To compare feeds, it is better to express it as part of the dry matter (and the energy in ME instead of in TDN). Here it seems that young grass has a lower feeding value than old grass while it is n my opinion just the opposite. From the manual you also could conclude that legumes are not as good as old grass.

How much milk from feed (GART)

Feeding value home made meal per kg(manual heifer project, pag 35)

Ingredients Energy (ME)

Protein (CP

Rice bran, fibre < 4% + cottonseed cake 12.5 170

Maize grinded + cottonseed cake 10.8 139

Wheat bran + cottonseed cake 9.3 186

Rice bran, fibre >20% + cottonseed cake 6.9 137

Brans (or milled whole grains of maize, rice, wheat, oats) 3 measuresOilseed cake (cotton, sunflower, sesame, copra, soy, rape) 1 measureTrace mineral 1/10 measureRegular ground salt 1/10 measureLime 1/10 measure

Feed composition and feeding valuefrom manual study circle (We effect)

Page 63: Not the proportion of dry matter determines the value of a feed but the composition of the dry matter. Example: Rice straw has a high dry matter content and a very

low feeding value, Young green grass or legumes have a low dry matter content and a high feeding value.

It is not really important that energy, protein and minerals are balanced in every feed. It should be balanced in the diet by combining ‘inbalanced’ ingredients in the ration and in every bite.

Feed composition and feeding value (2)from manual study circle (We effect)

Page 64: Dry matter content is important for the intake, not for feeding value. Animals have a limited intake capacity. When the intake capacity is too small for a high milk yield, the type of feed must be changed into feed with a higher density: grazing in younger grass or add some high quality by-products or concentrates.

Page 65: Aroma does not determine the feed value but can be a factor in intake. When a feedstuff is treated with a nice aroma is does not have more feeding value. The examples given in the manual add to the feeding value because they have a high sugar (molasses) and energy content (compound feed).

Page 65: Colour: Old feedstuffs lose some ingredients (like vitamins and protein) and others may be unaffected.

Feed composition and feeding value (3)from manual study circle (We effect)

Page 64: No strange items in the feed and also no sand/soil.

Page 65: More information about the energy in the manual. Gross energy in feedstuffs is on average the same for all organic material. The digestible energy varies a lot because of the ability of the animal to digest it. High fibre feeds are difficult to digest; have low digestible energy for the animal. Young grass has a far higher digestibility than old mature grass (so don’t compare maize with grass).

Page 65: The feeding value of feeds with very high mineral content is not higher because animals need a limited amount of minerals and an excess can even be dangerous. It is not the higher the better here.

Some vitamins have to be in the feed: vitamin A (or the precursor B-carotene) and vitamin E should be provided in the ration.

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