Research strategy

The first study was carried out on station to quantify the effect on milk yield of feeding concentrate to cows at 8 kg/day over the first 12 weeks of lactation with that of feeding 2 kg/day over 48 weeks, in other words a shift of the provision of the bulk of concentrates to early lactation, rather than giving it little at a time throughout lactation.

It was felt necessary to carry out this investigation before embarking on a field study.

Milk yields were found to be 45, 24, 6 and 8% lower between 1-75, 76-150, 151-225 and 226-305 days post calving, respectively, for cows on the flat rate method of feeding compared with those given all their concentrate feeding during the first 12 weeks.

With these positive findings a field study was planned to determine if reallocation of concentrates was feasible under on-farm conditions. The aim was to develop a participatory study that allowed the researchers to observe how farmers implemented the proposed strategy and to what extent farmers were prepared to follow the recommendations.