Effects of pasture access regime on performance, grazing behavior, and energy utilization by Alpine goats in early and mid-lactation

•Feed intake and milk energy were not affected by pasture access treatments.•Continuous grazing resulted in greatest heat energy in nearly all hours of the day.•Delaying grazing until dry leaf surfaces lessened heat energy then and when grazing.•Allowing grazing from the afternoon milking until sunset increased heat energy.•Pasture access only between milkings yielded relatively efficient milk production. Twenty-eight Alpine goats were used to evaluate the effects of different pasture access regimes on lactation performance, grazing behavior, and energy utilization in a 16-wk experiment with four 4-wk periods beginning at 26±2.5days in milk. Treatments were access to grass and (or) legume pasture continually other than during milking in the morning and afternoon (CG); from the time leaf surfaces were dry (measured by leaf wetness sensors) until afternoon milking and thereafter to sunset (ND-D); from the time leaf surfaces were dry until afternoon milking (ND-M); and between morning and afternoon milking (SET). The CG, ND-M, and SET goats were supplemented with approximately 1.5% body weight (BW; dry matter basis) of concentrate immediately following the afternoon milking and ND-D goats were supplemented at sunset. Organic matter digestibility, average daily gain, fecal egg count, and FAMACHA© score were not affected by treatment (P>0.05). Milk concentrations of protein, fat, and lactose and milk energy yield (5.41, 5.06, 5.34, and 5.55MJ/day for CG, ND-D, ND-M, and SET, respectively; SEM=0.340) were similar among treatments (P>0.05). Treatment affected (P0.05; 1111, 1010, 1043, and 874kJ/kg BW0.75; SEM=89.1), daily heat energy was greatest among treatments for CG (P