The Effects of grazing and Stall-Feeding on the Feed intake, Milk Yield and Composition of two Exotic Breeds of Dairy Cows at Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that grazed cows produced more milk, solids-corrected milk (SCM), butterfat, ash and less milk protein than the stall-fed (P<O.05). Grazed cows also consumed more forage DM. Friesian cows produced more milk, less butterfat, SNF, TS and ash than the German Brown. High concentrate-fed cows produced statistically higher TS, ash. Energy and less butterfat than high forage-fed ones (P<O.05). While grazed cows gained more weight than Stan-fed ones. Higher respiratory counts were recorded for the grazed cows than those that were stall-fed.