Milk production in Brahman and Angus cows on endophyte-infected fescue and common bermudagrass.
Daily milk yield and milk fat were estimated by method of milking machine in 60 Angus and 60 Brahman cows grazing common bermudagrass or endophyte-infected fescue during a 3-yr period. Averaged over monthly estimates, there was evidence (P < .05) of a dam breed x forage interaction in daily milk yield. Tall fescue decreased milk yield more in the Angus (1.64 kg/d, P < .01) than in the Brahman (.53 kg/d, P > .15). There were significant dam breed effects on both percentage of milk fat and daily milk fat yield; Brahman exceeded Angus by .68% (P < .01) and 34.3 g/d (P < .01), respectively. There were significant forage effects for both percentage of milk fat and daily milk fat yield; common bermudagrass exceeded tall fescue by .5% (P < .01) and 62.3 g/d (P < .01), respectively. These data indicate that incorporation of Brahman germplasm into a grazing system that uses endophyte-infected fescue may be beneficial in daily milk yield but will probably not prevent decreases in milk fat production associated with grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue.
South Central Family Farm Research Center, ARS, USDA, Booneville, AR 72927.
M A
MA
Brown
L M
LM
Tharel
A H
AH
Brown
W G
WG
Jackson
J R
JR
Miesner
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development*; D007774:Lactation; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D006109:Poaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D012621:Seasons
D008055:Lipids