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Effect of feed supplements on dry season milk yield and profitability of crossbred cows in Honduras

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Abstract

The contribution of dry season silage feeding on daily milk yield (MY) and dairying profitability in terms of income over feed cost (IOFC) was evaluated in dual-purpose cattle production systems in Honduras. MY records of 34 farms from two milk collection centres were collected over a 2-year period. Farms were surveyed to obtain information on the type, quantity and cost of supplemented feed, breed type and number of lactating cows in each month. Farms were classified in silage farms (SF, with a short silage supplementation period), non-silage farms (NSF) and prototype farms (PF, with an extended silage supplementation period). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a linear mixed model approach. PF had significantly higher MY than SF and NSF but, due to higher expenses for both concentrate and silage, similar IOFC compared to NSF. SF had similar MY but lower IOFC compared to NSF, due to higher feed expenses. The effect of silage feeding, particularly maize silage, on MY was significant and superior to that of other forage supplements. Silage supplementation contributed to the highest MY and IOFC on farms with crossbred cows of >62.5 % Bos taurus and to the second highest profitability on farms with >87.5 % Bos indicus share. It is concluded that silage can play an important role in drought-constrained areas of the tropics and can contribute to profitable dairying, irrespective of breed.

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Abbreviations

CREL:

Centro de Recolección y Enfriamiento de Leche

DM:

Dry matter

IOFC:

Income over feed cost

MY:

Milk yield

NSF:

Non-silage farms

PF:

Prototype farms

SF:

Silage farms

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support by BMZ/GTZ (now GIZ, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit). We are grateful to the many farmers for their collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Animal Production in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 17, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Christoph Reiber

  2. CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture), Km 17, Recta Cali-Palmira, Apartado Aéreo, 6713, Cali, Colombia

    Michael Peters & Rainer Schultze-Kraft

  3. Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstrasse 23, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany

    Jens Möhring

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  1. Christoph Reiber
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  2. Michael Peters
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  3. Jens Möhring
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  4. Rainer Schultze-Kraft
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Correspondence to Christoph Reiber.

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Reiber, C., Peters, M., Möhring, J. et al. Effect of feed supplements on dry season milk yield and profitability of crossbred cows in Honduras. Trop Anim Health Prod 45, 1131–1138 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-012-0336-5

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