Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar

that of cows grazing sole cropped pastures. Increases obtained for both
pastures in the study are slightly lower (37% for the associated pasture;
70% for the sole cropped pasture) as compared with the native pasture. The
increase in milk production between the associated pasture and the sole
cropped pasture was 24%.
Table 4. Average milk production (kg/ha) of dual-purpose cows grazing
different types of pastures during the rainy seasons of 1997, 1998,
and 1999.
Type of pasture Milk productiona (kg/ha)
Native pastureb 11.6 a
Native pastureb 11.6 a
Sole cropped pasture 15.9 b **
Associated pasture 19.7 b ***
a. Average production of 26 cows.
b. Native grasses, mainly Brachiaria ruziziensis.
** p = 0.0001; *** p = 0.0253 (comparison of averages using the Student’s (t) test)
González et al. (1996) found that Jersey cows, a local Central American
race of dairy cows, and crossbred cows between both of the former produced
14% more milk/ha in pastures of African star grass (Cynodon nlemfuensis)
associated with A. pintoi than in pastures of the grass fertilized with 100 kg
N/ha per year. This increase in milk production was lower than that found
in our study, but the stocking rate was similar (2.6 AU/ha).
Lascano and Avila (1991) cite that the production of fat-corrected milk
increased, on average, by 20% in associations of B. dictyoneura with C.
acutifolium and C. macrocarpum, as compared with the grass pastures alone.
In the case of Andropogon gayanus associated with the same legumes, the
increase in milk production of the associated pastures was, on average, 15%
as compared with the sole cropped pasture.
Conclusions
In this study the recovery of degraded pastures by establishing
improved grasses increased milk production as well as pasture stocking
rate. The introduction of legumes, such as A. pintoi made it possible to
increase milk production and pasture stocking rate more as compared with
native and improved sole cropped pastures. Pasture rehabilitation together
with the introduction of improved grasses and legumes, enhances forage
availability and, as a result, increases the pasture’s stocking rate.
53