Alfalfa and its potential in the Argentine dairy systems

Comeron, E.A*,Tieri, M.P.,Charlon, V., Rossetti, L.,Descalzo, A., Romero,L.,Villar, J.

INTA EEA Rafaela (Santa Fe – Argentina) *comeron.eduardo@inta.gob.ar

Argentina is one of the few countries that maintain most of its livestock production under grazing-based conditions throughout the year

mailto:*comeron.eduardo@inta.gob.armailto:*comeron.eduardo@inta.gob.ar

1. Evolution of alfalfa in dairy systems

? The use of alfalfa for grazing, silage and hay: *lack of knowledge of the use in grazing and .. *diet: originated protein/energy unbalances *bloat problems.

In the early '80s: Introduction of Alfalfa CUF 101: * adaptation to various environmental conditions * good forage quality (protein, digestibility) * higher dry matter production, * longer growing season, * aphid resistance

before the '80s: cows fed mostly on annual winter and summer forages, natural grasses, generic alfalfa and cichorie (PN) without the regular use of concentrates.

Oat; 30

Setaria; 10

sorghum; 25

PP 20

HAY; 10 GRAIN; 5

Diet

Key of management …

Herbage allowance

• defoliation: 80% (160 cows/ha/d-1 in daily

grazing strips)

• rest period: 24 d in summer, 28 d in spring, +40 in autumn, basal regrowth in winter

INTA´s National Alfalfa – Milk Program • Genetic, Production and quality • Utilisation with dairy cows (grazing, silage, hay) • Sustentability • Milk products

EMBRAPA Sao Carlos

INRA Pegassus

Univ.Litoral Argentina

Other “friends”

System research and extensión programs

Alfalfa is an excellent forage and food … but

In the ‘90s:

a) adoption of maize or sorghum silage (whole plant). b) the implementation of a basic crop rotation.

Significant increase of productivity (+ 7% year-1)

- Stability in forage production. - Increase of the stocking rate. - Stability on diet composition (< alfalfa ; > concentrate)

i

ALFALFA

35-40%|

Hay

5

Concentrate

(P+E) 30 %

Silaje

25%

13.000 kgDMa/ha/year

75% harvest eficiency

Diet

Adjustments on feeding strategies: increase of partial or total cow confinement - > scala -

After 2005:

< alfalfa pasture diet (50% - 27% of the DMt)

This should not be interpreted as a trend towards alfalfa pastures disappearance in the near future.

Rol of alfalfa in TMR (INTA Rafaela):

TMR 100

TMR 75

ALF 25 =

33 liters/c/d >BCS

Dieta offered to cows in argentine dairy systems

–upper cuartil- (Garcia, 2015)

100-130 130-160 160-200 200-250 250-300 300-350

Grazing Alf Hay AlfalfaGrain-Soja Maiz Silage

Eficiency (l/ha/y) 3400 4100 5200 6500 7900 9300

70s 80s 90s 10s

40:35

90:0 P:C

Grazing Hay Maize silage Concentrate

2.- Environmental impact of grazing alfalfa in dairy systems.

In 2014-2015, 116 dairy farms (average diet: alfalfa + silage + hay + conc.)

Tieri et al. (2017)

ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATOR MEAN VALUE REFERENCE

NUE (%)

24 ±7,5 – Argentina Tieri et al., 2017

≈ Gourley et al., 2012 for

Australia and USA

> Nevens et al., 2006 for dairy farms of the Flemish Region

60% of the dairy farms with 30%

30% threshold proposed Powell et al., 2010

Carbon Footprint

Argentina 0.92±0.24 Tieri et al., 2017

Argentina 0.90±0.30 Gimenez et al., 2017 CO2-eq/kg of FPCM 1.0 - Ireland Leip et al,2010; Yan et al.,

2013 0.84-0.90 - UK, Irish and USA dairy farms

O´Brian et al., 2014

Conclusion: Alfalfa pasture in dairy systems produces an impact on the environment comparable to those of other dairy region in the world.

3. The effect of fresh alfalfa on milk quality, dairy products and antioxidant composition.

(mg/kg DM)

Fatty acids

(%)

Feed Gamma

tocopherol

Alpha

tocopherol

Beta

carotene C18:3

Fresh Alfalfa 6,4-16,6 78,8-81,0 122,3-156,6 22,06 Fresh Oat 9,1 16,1 66,7 15,89

Alfalfa Hay 2,8-4,1 8,5-55,0 0,6-13,1

Concentrate com. 45,7-83,9 9,2-24,2

0,0

1,0

2,0

3,0

4,0

5,0

6,0

7,0

-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Time (days)

Beta carotene (ug/gr fat)

0,0

10,0

20,0

30,0

40,0

50,0

60,0

70,0

-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Time (days)

Vitamin A (ug/gr fat)

0,0

10,0

20,0

30,0

40,0

50,0

60,0

-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Time (days)

Vitamin E (ug/gr fat) prom A0

prom A70

A better sensory

qualification: color and aroma.

(Rossetti et al, 2010)

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

1,4

A0 A35 A70

Vitamin E (ug/ml milk)

*

* *

0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,35

A0 A35 A70

Beta carotene (ug/ml milk)

*

* *

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

A0 A35 A70

Vitamin A (ug/ml milk)

Spring

Fall

MATURED CHEESE

Nutritional value of milk and dairy products can be naturally improved by using fresh alfalfa in the feeding strategies.

Conclusion:

Dr. Eduardo Comeron and Jorge L. Villar comeron.eduardo@inta.gob.ar

EEA Rafaela – Santa Fe

Overall conclusion:

There are productive, environmental and economic evidences

that justify the use of alfalfa pastures as part of the diet

(PMR) of dairy cows in Argentina.