Reindeer feeding in Japan still poses some problems. Determination of the amount of grass intake by an animal is useful for estimation of the grazing area required. The present work was done from May to October on an experimental reindeer farm in Akita Prefecture using the protective cage method. The amount of raw-grass intake was related to the change of temperature, with high temperature inhibiting reindeer intake. Amount of crude protein and total digestible nutrients (deduced) eaten showed a decreasing tendency in accordance with the increase of average temperature, but there was no significant difference. Although grass intake volume appeared to be controlled by the temperature, the amount necessary to satisfy an animal's appetite was supplied because of the nutritive value of the grass. When the necessary nutrition is supplied by grass in a grazing area, the optimum area can be reduced after the early summer season, thus saving on grassland management. Jpn. J. Livest. Management, 31(3) : 63-67,1996. Received July 31,1995. Accepted December 7,1995.

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Ten multiparous milking cows were fed a total mixed ration up to 5 weeks after parturition. Based on average milk production 4 and 5 weeks after parturition, cows were divided evenly into two groups 6 weeks after parturition. One group was fed the same total mixed ration (TMR) consecutively and the other group was fed a forage and grain mixture separately (FGS) for with the same ratio in feed ingredient as that in the TMR. Milk production, milk composition and feed intake were measured during the 10 week period from 6 weeks after parturition. Cows in the FGS group showed milk production similar to those in the TMR group up to 5 weeks, but tended to produce less milk than those in the TMR group from 6 to 10 weeks. Average milk production during the 10 weeks was lower for the FGS group than for the TMR group, but there was no difference in average FCM yields or average percentage of milk fat and SNF between TMR and FGS groups. Cows in the FGS group had less feed intake than those in the TMR group from 3 to 10 weeks. Average dry matter intake and dry matter intake per body weight were significantly lower for the FGS group compared with the TMR group. No difference was observed between groups for the average intake of grain mixture ration, but forage intake was significantly lower for the FGS group than for the TMR group. Average FCM per dry matter intake was significant]y higher for the FGS group than for the TMR group. These facts indicate that milk composition does not change, but that milk production and feed intake gradually decrease by changing from TMR to FGS in milkng cows. Jpn. J. Livest. Management, 31(3) : 69-74,1996. Received August 7,1995 Accepted December 1,1995

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In order to investigate the rearing of dairy heifers in snowy and cold regions based on annual high-roughage feeding system involving grazing, a series of trials during 8 years were conducted with 92 Holstine heifers on the experimental farms of Hokkaido University. The heifers were allocated to two feeding systems from 4 months of age to the first calving. One group of the heifers was reared on 2kg/d of concentrate in the barn throughout the period (group C). The other group was reared on the annual high-roughage feeding system in which the heihers were grazed on pasture from May to October without concentrate and offered less than 1kg/d of cocentrate in the barn from November to April. Besides, the heifers in both groups were fed silage and hay ad libitum, when they were reared in the barn. The heifers in the latter group were divided into group GM born in spring and summer (from April to September) and group GE born in autumn and winter (from Octover to March). The rearing period was categorized into three stages as, early stage (from 4 to 10 months of age), middle stage (from 11 to 16 months of age) and latestage (from 17 months of age to the first calving). After the first calving, all heifers were put under the same feeding management. The results were as follows; 1) There were no significant differences in body weight and body measurements at first calving between groups GM, GE and C. However, the growth rates throughout the rearing period of groups GM and GE were lower than that of group C (0.61,0.62 vs. 0.72kg/d; P<0.05). 2) The heifers in groups GM and GE showed high growth rates during the grazing period and low growth rates during the period reared in the barn. The growth rate of group GM was lower than that of group GE at the early stage and the late stage (P<0.05), whereas the growth rate of group GE was lower than that of group GM at the middle stage (P<0.05). 3) Among the heifers reared in the barn, the growth rate decreased with decreasing amount of concentrate and this tendency was obvious at the early stage. 4) The growth rates of heifers grazed at the early stage were less than those grazed at the latter stages. 5) There was a negative co-relationship between the growth rate druing the barn period and that during the subsequent grazing period (P<0.01). 6) Ages at the first mating of groups GM and GE were higher beyond 1 month than that of group C (P<0.05). There was a tendency to descend the percentage of conception and to increase number of services per conception in group GM. 7) There were no significant differences between the first lactation milk yields of groups GM, GE and C. 8) In the rearing of dairy heifers based on annual high-roughage feeding system involving grazing in snowy and cold regions, it was suggested that the heifers born in autumn and winter were able to attain normal rearing performance using only roughage from 4 months of age but the heifers born in spring and summer needed to be supplied concentrate at the early stage as the period reared in the barn. Jpn. J. Livest. Management, 31(3) : 75-84. 1996. Received August 28,1995 Accepted November 2,1995.

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