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<p>The grazing of cows on Kikuyu grass <i>(Cenchrus clandestinus)</i> is common in the highlands of Mexico. Ensiled surplus herbage could be an option for small-scale dairy systems (SSDS) in the dry season, when maize for silage is in short supply. The objective of the study was to evaluate the partial replacement of maize silage (MZ or MSLG) with Kikuyu silage (KY or KYGS) for dairy cows in SSDS, through an on-farm experiment. The test subjects were eight multiparous Holstein cows with 105 ± 15 days in milk, a daily milk yield of 15.9 ± 2.97&#xa0;kg/cow and liveweight of 424 ± 73&#xa0;kg. A 5250&#xa0;m² Kikuyu pasture was excluded from grazing and left for silage. Analyses of variance were performed with two designs according to the variables analysed, in two experimental periods of 14 days each. Treatments were: (1) KY + MZ (Kikuyu grass silage + maize silage), consisting of 4.0&#xa0;kg dry matter (DM)/cow/day KYGS + 6.0&#xa0;kg DM/cow/day MSLG; and (2) MZ (maize silage), consisting of 10.0&#xa0;kg DM/cow/day MSLG. Cows in both treatments also received 3.6&#xa0;kg DM/cow/day of a commercial dairy concentrate (CDC), and daytime set-stocked grazing (8&#xa0;h/day) on a Kikuyu grass pasture. Animal performance was evaluated based on milk yield expressed as 3.5% fat-corrected milk (FCM) yield and milk composition. Silage and herbage samples were analysed for chemical composition, dry matter digestibility (DMD), and estimated metabolizable energy (ME); and partial budget analyses performed. There were no differences (<i>P</i> &gt; 0.05) in milk yield and composition. The KY + MZ treatment had higher costs but produced 5.4% higher margins, indicating that KYGS is a viable option for dairy cows when maize silage availability is limited.</p>

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Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus) silage as forage option for small-scale dairy systems

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月14日

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  • Mónica Arias-Ávila,
  • Omar Narváez-Uribe,
  • Aurora Sainz-Ramírez,
  • Felipe López-González,
  • Carlos Manuel Arriaga-Jordán

摘要

The grazing of cows on Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus) is common in the highlands of Mexico. Ensiled surplus herbage could be an option for small-scale dairy systems (SSDS) in the dry season, when maize for silage is in short supply. The objective of the study was to evaluate the partial replacement of maize silage (MZ or MSLG) with Kikuyu silage (KY or KYGS) for dairy cows in SSDS, through an on-farm experiment. The test subjects were eight multiparous Holstein cows with 105 ± 15 days in milk, a daily milk yield of 15.9 ± 2.97 kg/cow and liveweight of 424 ± 73 kg. A 5250 m² Kikuyu pasture was excluded from grazing and left for silage. Analyses of variance were performed with two designs according to the variables analysed, in two experimental periods of 14 days each. Treatments were: (1) KY + MZ (Kikuyu grass silage + maize silage), consisting of 4.0 kg dry matter (DM)/cow/day KYGS + 6.0 kg DM/cow/day MSLG; and (2) MZ (maize silage), consisting of 10.0 kg DM/cow/day MSLG. Cows in both treatments also received 3.6 kg DM/cow/day of a commercial dairy concentrate (CDC), and daytime set-stocked grazing (8 h/day) on a Kikuyu grass pasture. Animal performance was evaluated based on milk yield expressed as 3.5% fat-corrected milk (FCM) yield and milk composition. Silage and herbage samples were analysed for chemical composition, dry matter digestibility (DMD), and estimated metabolizable energy (ME); and partial budget analyses performed. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in milk yield and composition. The KY + MZ treatment had higher costs but produced 5.4% higher margins, indicating that KYGS is a viable option for dairy cows when maize silage availability is limited.