The productive performance of Holstein cows grazing fertilized coastcross (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pears) pasture, strategically irrigated and supplemented with either 3 or 6 kg of concentrate/cow/day, was evaluated in this trial. The data were collected for three years (October/2000 to October/2003), involving 108 lactations. A completely randomized block design with two treatment replications was adopted, with nine animals per paddock. The pasture was strip grazed at a stocking rate of five cows per hectare, with rest periods of 25 and 35 days in the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. The pasture was irrigated in the months of lowest rainfall and fertilized with NPK broadcast at six applications/year. The pre-grazing pasture masses were 7,280 kg/ha and 6,167 kg/ha with post-grazing residuals of 4,885 kg/ha and 3,994 kg/ha, in the rainy (Spring/Summer) and dry (Fall/Winter) seasons, respectively. During part of the experimental period, a few morphogenic characteristics of the pasture were evaluated. Leaf blade growth rates of 83.9, 125.6 and 89.5 kg DM/ha/day were recorded in the Spring, Summer and Fall season, respectively. The average daily milk yields were 15.5 and 19.1 kg/day/cow with 3.5% of fat and 77.80 and 94.00 kg/ha, for either 3 or 6 kg of concentrate/cow/day, respectively. It was concluded that fertilized coastcross pasture adequately managed enables high milk yields per cow and per hectare.
Cynodon; body score; management; milk yield
