ChileanJAR

During three years (1977 - 1980), three winter management systems, with autumn calving dairy cows, were tried: I, without barn; II, kept in a barn during the night; and III, kept in a barn day and night. The supplementation period was from May to August (100 days). AlI cows were fed with hay and silage harvested in the same pasture of the studied systems, and they received concentrate during the winter period (100 days). The overall milk yields/cow/year were: 3,430 kg (a), 3,014 kg (ab), and 2,897 kg (b), for systems II, I and III, respectively (P < 0.05). Systems with access to the pasture in winter, produced more milk during that season. The lack of a barn is not a limiting factor to produce during winter.