Volume 27, 229

Tropical Grasslands (1993) Volume 27, 229–237

Response of lactating cows to grain-based concentrates in northern Australia

T.M. DAVISON¹ and R. ELLIOTT²

¹Department of Primary Industries, Mutdapilly Research Station, Ipswich
²Colborn-Dawes Australia Pty Ltd, Wacol, Queensland, Australia

Abstract

This article discusses key issues for future research into concentrate feeding in dairy pasture systems in northern Australia. It is suggested that emphasis should be on whole-farm, input-output studies and the factors determining the levels of response obtained. Responses on-farm are higher than those in research station experiments where a reduced number of factors are investigated, and short-term experiments generally provide a misleading picture of milk responses to concentrate.
Whole-farm models to predict cow and farm milk output under a wide variety of situations are necessary for optimising forage-concentrate inputs and to assist long-term property planning. A better understanding of substitution of concentrates for pasture is necessary in order to understand the equilibrium between cow live weight and condition, pasture availability and level of supplementation.
Seasonal supplementation techniques need to be investigated to counteract lowered pasture quality and quantity and the effects of heat stress in summer and autumn. Protein sources need to be compared with different pasture types and at high levels of milk yield per cow.