Abstract
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.
Highlights
Over the last few decades, mountain agricultural systems have undergone many economic, technological, and societal changes [1]
The traditional extensive system of rearing dairy cows in mountain areas is called “vertical transhumance” and consists of animals being kept in valley farms from autumn to early spring followed by the transfer of herds to high alpine pastures, gradually exploiting pastures at higher altitudes [9]
During the first few weeks after being moved from a total mixed ration (TMR) to fresh herbage, Schären et al [21] observed a reduction in rumen fermentation activity in German Holstein cows, leading to variations in the oxidation of dietary fatty acids and, in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in milk [22]
Summary
Over the last few decades, mountain agricultural systems have undergone many economic, technological, and societal changes [1]. Overall, during the first period of grazing, dairy cows have to face many stressful environmental and management changes, such as a different diet, hypoxia related to altitude, harsh climate conditions, increase in physical activity, change of milking system, and modification of social conditions [11,12]. Of these changes, one of the most important is the change in diet [13]. During the first few weeks after being moved from a total mixed ration (TMR) to fresh herbage, Schären et al [21] observed a reduction in rumen fermentation activity in German Holstein cows, leading to variations in the oxidation of dietary fatty acids and, in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in milk [22]
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