Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #103946
Title: LATE AFTERNOON CUT HAY MAKES MORE MILK

Author
item Mayland, Henry
item KIM, DAEYOON - SYSTEMIC FORMULAS
item SHEWMAKER, GLENN - UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

Submitted to: Hoard's Dairyman
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/16/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Daily accumulation and nightly losses of soluble sugars have always occurred in growing forage plants. However, it's only in the last five years that anyone has checked for possible animal responses to these diurnal changes. The article highlights several ways in which forage producers can incorporate this concept into their current programs and highlights dairy cow responses to this technology. By feeding hay harvested in the afternoon versus in the morning, milk production can be increased at rates equivalent to those obtained by using the hormone bST.

Technical Abstract: Daily accumulation and nightly losses of soluble sugars have always occurred in growing forage plants. However, it's only in the last five years that anyone has checked for possible animal responses to these diurnal changes. The article highlights several ways in which forage producers can incorporate this concept into their current programs and highlights dairy cow responses to this technology. By feeding hay harvested in the afternoon versus in the morning, milk production can be increased at rates equivalent to those obtained by using the hormone bST.