Prolonged calving interval and reduced supplementation in an organic dairy herd

J. Sehested and A. Danfoer

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: 57-59


Author Locations and Affiliations
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.
jakob.sehested@agrsci.dk
allan.danfaer@agrsci.dk


en français


Posted September 2007