According to the alpine transhumance system, dairy cows are moved from indoor feeding with conserved forage to fresh herbage feeding on pasture. The aim of this study was to assess, as a feeding adaptation technique, the effect of a gradual inclusion of fresh herbage in the diet of Italian Simmental dairy cows before their transfer to alpine pasture on performance, behavior, and milk characteristics. Eighteen cows were assigned to three groups: animals transferred to alpine pasture with a 10-d feeding adaptation period consisting in gradual access to a pasture close to the valley farm (GT), animals transferred to alpine pasture without a feeding adaptation period (AT), and animals kept in the valley farm (IND). During the first two weeks of summer grazing, GT and AT showed higher rumination time and different concentrations of ketones, hydrocarbons, organic acids, toluene, alcohols, phenols, and dimethyl sulfone in milk as compared to IND, whereas no differences were found in milk yield, composition, or coagulation properties. No differences between GT and AT were evident for the studied variables. The feeding adaptation technique used in this study did not influence the performance and milk characteristics of Italian Simmental dairy cows grazing on alpine pasture.
Corazzin, M.; Berlese, M.; Sturaro, E.; Ramanzin, M.; Gallo, L.; Aprea, E.; Gasperi, F.; Gianelle, D.; Bovolenta, S. (2020). Effect of feeding adaptation of Italian Simmental cows before summer grazing on animal behavior and milk characteristics. ANIMALS, 10 (5): 829. doi: 10.3390/ani10050829 handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/61874
Citation: | Corazzin, M.; Berlese, M.; Sturaro, E.; Ramanzin, M.; Gallo, L.; Aprea, E.; Gasperi, F.; Gianelle, D.; Bovolenta, S. (2020). Effect of feeding adaptation of Italian Simmental cows before summer grazing on animal behavior and milk characteristics. ANIMALS, 10 (5): 829. doi: 10.3390/ani10050829 handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/61874 |
Internal authors: | |
Organization unit: | Department of Sustainable Agro-ecosystems and Bioresources # CRI Department of Food Quality and Nutrition # CRI |
Authors: | Corazzin, M.; Berlese, M.; Sturaro, E.; Ramanzin, M.; Gallo, L.; Aprea, E.; Gasperi, F.; Gianelle, D.; Bovolenta, S. |
Title: | Effect of feeding adaptation of Italian Simmental cows before summer grazing on animal behavior and milk characteristics |
Journal: | ANIMALS |
Issue Date: | 2020 |
Scientific Disciplinary Area: | Settore AGR/19 - Zootecnica Speciale |
Keywords ENG: | Mountain Transhumance Feeding behaviour Volatile compounds Coagulation trait |
Language: | English |
IF: | With Impact Factor ISI |
Publication status: | Published |
Nature of content: | Articolo in rivista/Article |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani10050829 |
Other types of funding: | Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020, Autonomous Province of Trento, measure 16.1.1. (SMartAlp project, CUP C66D17000170008) |
Appears in Collections: | 01 - Journal article |
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