@conference {41414,
	title = {Forage intake and feed conversion efficiency in high-producing dairy herds in New Zealand: a case study},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {63},
	year = {2003},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {96-100},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Queenstown},
	abstract = {In 1998 a three-year dairy farm monitoring programme was established on twelve dairy farms in the southern North Island of New Zealand where production policy had changed from a focus on high production per hectare through high stocking rates to a strategy based on high production per hectare through enhanced production per cow. Results of the third year for nine of these farms revealed a range of apparent feed intake (50,669 - 70,135 MJ ME/cow/year), milksolids production (372 - 432 kg MS/cow/year) and feed conversion efficiency (6.0 - 7.4 g MS/MJ ME intake). There was a significant positive correlation (R2= 0.57, P<0.05) between annual apparent ME intake per cow and annual milksolids production per cow, with a regression coefficient equivalent to 2.5 g MS produced per MJ ME intake, but a significant negative correlation (R2 = 0.80, P<0.01) between ME intake and feed conversion efficiency. The apparent ME intakes measured were 21\% and 8\% higher than theoretical requirements for the farms with higher and lower (compared to each other) milksolids yield values, respectively. This suggests that the high-performance farms may have wasted more feed. Implications for management of feed resources to optimise efficiency in high-production systems are discussed. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Salles PV and Matthews PNP and Holmes CW and Hodgson J and Shadbolt NM}
}
