Prolonged calving interval and reduced supplementation in an organic dairy herd

Sehested,-J; Danfoer,-A
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.
jakob.sehested@agrsci.dk
allan.danfaer@agrsci.dk

Abstract
The proportion of organic feed in the total ration for cows in organic dairy herds has to reach 100% in 2005, and there is a demand for 60% roughage in the total ration. This puts pressure to the market for supplementary feeds, and gives basis for an increasing proportion of roughage in the feeding ration and thereby a decreasing intake of energy.

Long calving interval could be a strategy for adapting organic dairy production to a high proportion of roughage in the diet and a high degree of self-supply or local supply of feeds.

 

Source
Stocarstvo-. 2005; 59(1): 57-59

 

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Posted September 2007