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A simulated grazing was developed with Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, to study the performance of dairy cows during rainy season in two grazing intensities: T1 = 75 and T2 = 150 LAU ha-1 day-1. Twenty Siboney crossbred cows were studied, between the second and third lactation, with 480 ± 8 kg of body weight (10 animals treatment-1), grazing 15 hours a day. InfoStat statistical program, version 12.0, was used for data processing. T2 animals showed lower grass availability (P = 0.0072) and intake decrease (P = 0.0362) (24.35 vs. 17.57 and 12.77 vs. 11.33 kg DM animal-1 day-1 for availability and intake of animals of 75 and 150 LAU ha-1 day-1). No differences were reported in individual production per cow and dairy components. However, production per area increased (P = 0.0001) by 1.74 times in T2 with respect to T1 (3,279.99 and 5,722.71 kg of milk ha-1 rainy season-1, for T1 and T2, respectively). Production cost of a liter of milk increased by 11.8 % in the treatment with the lowest intensity (2.17 vs. 1.96 $ L-1, for 75 and 150 LAU ha-1 day-1). Results indicate that animals from the treatment with 150 LAU ha-1 day-1 showed no differences in individual production, although they increased productivity per grazing area by 2,842.72 L, and decreased costs by 0.21 $ produced L-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out in two dairy farms of Dos Ríos enterprise, during 2015 and 2016, in order to identify the main factors that influence dairy production. In the analysis, ten variables with the highest preponderance were identified, grouped into four principal components (PC), which explained 79.6 % of the variance. As a result of cluster analysis, four groups were f ormed, which respond, in a general sense, to each dairy farm at every season. Impact factors of each combination, principal component vs. group, were identified. The production (PC1) in dry period showed values of -0.257 and -0.815, for farms 16 and 17, respectively, related to the high stocking rate and low proportion of biomass bank in dairy 17. Herd (PC2) showed a negative impact on farm 16, due to the low number of animals that it uses with respect to dairy 17. Reproduction (PC3) presented a negative impact in both units, which was very similar during rainy season. This phenomenon indicates a greater number of births in dry season, which is not suitable in tropical exploitation systems based on pastures and forages. Milk quality (PC4) showed negative values in farm 16 during rainy season, due to mastitis. The results allowed to assess the factors with the greatest impact, average by groups and PC, and made it possible to identify, with certainty, the difficulties in the production system, so that strategies could be implemented to minimize or eliminate them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simulated grazing system was developed, using a total of 2.66 hectares, established with the variety Brachiaria decumbens vc. Basilisk; with the objective of studying their performance under dry conditions and without fertilization, subjected to two grazing intensities (GI): GI1 = 75 and GI2 = 150 LAU ha-1 day-1, during the rainy period. It was worked with 20 crossbred Siboney dairy cows between the second and third lactation (10 animals treatment-1), the animals grazed 15 hours a day. The areas under study showed an increase (P <0.05) in the Brachiaria proportion, in 7.9 and 13.2 %, for 75 and 150 LAU ha-1 day-1, respectively. The areas subjected to the highest intensity, showed higher availability of DM ha-1 paddock-1 (P <0.01) in 39.9 % (1 831.05 vs 2 562.11 kg DM ha-1 rotation-1, for 75 and 150 LAU ha-1 day-1, respectively); likewise, the grass yield was favored (P <0.05) in 23.9 % when it was submitted to 150 LAU ha-1 day-1. There were not differences in the bromatological composition of the grass. The obtained results, under these conditions, show that the Basilisk grass variety, subjected to grazing intensity of 150 LAU ha-1 day-1, maintains higher stability and likewise showed higher availability and grass yield, not affecting the bromatological quality of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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During two years, the fractionation, one or four times a day, of the supplementation with fresh semi-integral diet was evaluated in dairy cattle with a restricted grazing management. A total of 54 Criollo crossbreed cows were randomLy distributed in two treatments: I) supply of the fresh semi-integral diet once a day and II) supply of the diet four times a day. The results showed that when the semi-integral diet was offered four times a day, the total dry matter intake increased (P <0.05) in 8.1 and 9.3%, in relation to the supply once a day in the rainy and dry season, respectively. This increase in the total dry matter intake is directly related to the increase (P <0.05) of the semi-integral diet, which does not differ in its intake in the rainy season, but this increased in15.4% in the dry season, 7.12 vs. 8.22 kg DM diet cow-1 day-1. The milk production increased (P <0.01) in 4.5 and 8.6%, when supplying the diet four times a day in the rainy and dry season, respectively (7.76 vs. 8.11 and 6.07 vs. 6.59 kg cow-1 day-1, for one and four times the supply in the rainy and dry season, respectively). Similarly, the milk quality improved in the studied components. The study shows that the fractionation of the supplementation with fresh semi-integral diet increases the milk productivity and improves the milk quality, without showing effect on the body condition of the animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main results obtained in milk production under Cuban conditions, with the grass as basic foods are shown. With the appropriate interaction of stocking rate and grass varieties, dairy productions between 8 and 9 kg d-1 during the rainy season were reached, with stocking rate of 3.0 cows ha-1 in coast cross Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), 4.0 cows ha-1 in pangola grass (Digitaria decumbens Stent) and 5.0 cows ha-1 in star grass (Cynodon nlemfuensis).For the grass rotational management, the number of paddocks per group was between four and eight. The application of the pin pointer method and followers make possible higher balance between the composition and grass quantity and the animals requirements. With the use of legumes in the system, productions of 15 kg milk cow-1 d-1 can reached, with the lower supplement use. The supplementation showed higher advantage when the differential between the grass and the animal potential was more marked. The supplementation effect was higher at the beginning of lactation. The feeding systems with restricted grazing in the dry season, complemented with silage or sugar cane as forage, reached individuals productions between 7 and 8 kg of milk d-1, with complement intake between 5.8 and 7.3 kg DM cow -1 d-1for sugar cane and silage, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the Sorbial probiotic as additive for dairy goats in grazing under tropic conditions, 180 dairy goats were evaluated (90 Saanen and 90 Alpina), with 41.3 ? 0.4 kg of live weight, 23.6 days of lactation and 2.1parturition as average. The study lasted 245 days. Goats grazing (start grass and natural grass mixing) and were supplemented with 0.46 kg of concentrate animal-1 d-1. They were randomly distributed in 2 treatments: A.10g of probiotic in post parturition, until 100 days of lactation, and B. 0g of probiotic post parturition probiotic. The results of milk production showed that goats that consumed the probiotic, in both breeds, produced 3.9% more milk (P < 0.05) than those that did not consume it. Although, the Saanen goats produced 2.4% more milk (P < 0.05) than the Alpinas. With the probiotic usage, milk quality improved (P < 0.05) in 6.9 and 7.8% for the fat percentage and non fat solids. The costs of the milk liter, per supplement concepts, decreased (P < 0.05) in 0.012 and 0.007 Cuban pesos due to the probiotic inclusion, for Saanen and Alpine breeds, respectively. In this study conditions, the use of the probiotic during the first 100 lactation days, decreased costs per supplement concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to characterize the performance of dairy cows under stabulation conditions, fed integral diets of tropical forages, a study was conducted for three years. The observations were conducted for 72 h consecutively in each season to calculate the times spent in each activity (feed intake, rumination, water ingestion, resting and walking). A linear model of fixed effect was used for the statistical analysis, controlling group, season, year and possible interactions. The times dedicated to consumption were longer (P < 0.01) during the day and in the dry season (369.47, 83.67, 415.55 and 120.40 min, rainy/daytime, rainy /night time, dry season/daytime and dry season/night time, respectively). In rumia, the times increased (P < 0.001) in the dry season and at night (67.35, 271.79, 61.23 and 329.07 min for rainy/daytime, rainy/night time, dry season/daytime and dry season/night time, respectively). The intake rate of the milking cows in both seasons diminished (P < 0.01) in 24.2 and 25.5% in the rainy and dry season, respectively, compared with those that were not lactating. The distribution of the animals' percentage in the intake activity was maintained, approximately, in 90.0% in the rainy season, three hours after the feed supply, and in the dry season during the first five hours. Meanwhile, the animals' percentage in rumination was concentrated between 10.00 p.m. and 3.00 a.m., and was superior to 40%. The study demonstrated that, apart from the management under stabulation conditions, the animals maintained a behavior in accordance with the availability and quality of forages. Besides, it was proved that the feed supply time influences markedly on the intake distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixty crossbred heifers (371 ± 7 kg) were used in a 63-d feeding trial (4 pens per treatment in a randomized complete block design) to evaluate the influence of dietary supplementation with zilpaterol hydrochloride (β-agonist) or with different levels of chromium-enriched live yeast (Cr-YC) on growth performance and carcass characteristics. Heifers were fed a diet based on steam-flaked corn (1.45 Mcal of net energy of gain, NEg kg-1). Treatments were: 1) control, no yeast, no zilpaterol supplementation (Ctrl); treatments 2, 3 and 4) were the same basal diet supplemented with a commercial Cr-YC for a final dose of 10, 20 or 30 g hd-1 d-1 of yeast strain, and 5) the same basal diet (Ctrl) supplemented with 6 mg of zilpaterol kg-1 of feed for 30 d (ZIL), drug withdrawn from the diet 3 d pre-harvest. Compared with controls, ZIL increased final weight (3.8 %, P < 0.03), carcass-adjusted daily gain (18.7 %, P = 0.05), apparent dietary net energy of maintenance (14 %, P < 0.01), and decreased observed/expected DMI (14 %, P < 0.01). Treatment with ZIL did not affect (P < 0.13) marbling score, but, compared with control group, increased carcass dressing percentage (2.6 %, P = 0.01), and reduced (P = 0.02) kidney, pelvic and heart fat (KPH, 19.8 %) and fat thickness (9.4 %) and tended (5.9 %, P = 0.06) to increase Longissimus muscle area. Compared with Cr-YC treatments, ZIL increased apparent dietary NEm (P = 0.03) and dressing percentage (P < 0.01), and decreased observed/expected DMI (P = 0.03) and KPH (P=0.04). Treatment with Cr-YC did not affect carcass characteristics, but compared with control, Cr-YC supplementation tended to increase final BW (P = 0.08), ADG (0.09), fed:gain ratio (F:G, P = 0.08) and dietary NE (P = 0.06). Level of supplemental Cr-YC increased (linear component, P ≤ 0.04) final BW, ADG, F:G, apparent dietary NEm, and decreased (P = 0.02) observed/expected DMI. Level of supplemental Cr-YC did not affect (P ≥ 0.33) dressing percentage, LM area or marbling score, but, fat thickness and KPH decreased (P = 0.02) as Cr-YC level supplementation increase. DMI and HCW tended (P ≤ 0.08) to increase with increasing Cr-YC supplementation level. It is concluded that, zilpaterol supplementation increase growth performance in heifers as results of greater muscle accretion and for reduction of body fat. Chromium-enriched yeast supplementation increase growth performance and dietary NE, with modest effect in carcass characteristics. Better responses were observed at level of Cr-YC supplementation of 30 g hd-1 d-1 that corresponds to daily intakes of 1.65 x 1011 colony forming units and 15 mg chromium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]