Grass for Dairy Cattle

With the current interest in the environmental and economic sustainability of dairy farming, grass forage crops have emerged as a potential solution to some of the nutrient management problems now encountered on intensively managed dairy farms. The expansion and reintegration of grass-based systems into the mainstream of dairying systems will require a major paradigm shift involving economic, social and ecological, as well as biological factors. This book examines the role of grass in milk production in sustainable agricultural ecosystems. It provides a current summary of the role of grass in dairy cattle systems, including the breeding, management, storage, feeding and economics of grass for both lactating and dry dairy cows. Written by leading specialists from Australia, Europe, New Zealand, North and South America, this is an essential reference source for researchers, dairy industry professionals and advanced students of forage and dairy cattle nutrition.