The feed intake and liveweight responses of hinds and calves grazing leaf turnip or pasture during late lactation

In breeding hind systems, summer is often a period when feed quality and quantity may compromise lactation in the hind and growth of the calf. The growth and feed intake of calves and hinds offered the leaf turnip Pasja were compared to those on a perennial pasture. Calves consumed 1.0 kg forage DM/head/d on pasture and 0.77 kg DM/d on Pasja. The higher digestibility of Pasja meant that the metabolisable energy intake of Pasja was only 1.7 MJ ME/head/d lower than pasture. Hinds grazing pasture consumed 4.8 kg DM/head/d compared with 3.7 kg DM/head/d when fed Pasja. The digestibility of the two diets was not significantly different resulting in an energy intake that was 13.2 MJ ME/d or 33% higher in pasture fed hinds. The weaning weight of calves was 58.3 and 55.2 kg on pasture and the Pasja crop respectively having gained 19.1 and 16.9 kg respectively. Using brassicas to shift feed of high quality from late spring into summer will be best suited to dry environments where the quantity and quality of pasture may not be able to meet the requirements of the lactating hind and her calf.