Open AccessEndophyte and dairy production in New Zealand: experience at the Dairying Research Corporation
Author(s) -
E.R. Thom,
D. A. Clark,
C. D. Waugh
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
grassland research and practice series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2463-4751
pISSN - 0110-8581
DOI - 10.33584/rps.7.1999.3400
Subject(s) - endophyte , lolium perenne , lolium , agronomy , biology , poaceae , botany
Sixteen short term tests of the effects of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) endophyte on milk production from dairy cows were carried out at Dairying Research Corporation (DRC) sites in Taranaki (1992/93) and Waikato (1993-1999). Increasing contamination of endophyte-free areas with volunteer endophyte-infected ryegrass could have modified milk production responses to endophyte in the first of two trials in the Waikato (1993- 1996). Test periods were in spring, summer and autumn. Significant effects of endophyte on milk production were detected on only 4 occasions. Small (