Dietary restriction improved feed efficiency of inefficient lactating cows

Meir, Y.A. Ben; Nikbachat, M.; Portnik, Y.; Jacoby, Shamay; Levit, H.; Bikel, Daniel; Adin, G.; Moallem, U.; Miron, J.; Mabjeesh, S.J.; Halachmi, I.

doi:10.3168/jds.2019-16321

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…The vast majority of phenotypic correlations between feeding behavior traits and feed efficiency traits followed the same direction as genetic correlations for the corresponding traits, but with lower magnitude. Despite being limited in number, studies in dairy cattle nutrition have reported differences between feeding behavior in groups of animals classified as high or low RFI (Williams et al, 2011;Ben Meir et al, 2019). In support of our data, slower feeding rate and shorter daily feeding duration have been reported in efficient animals (Green et al, 2013;Xi et al, 2016).…”

Section: Genetic and Phenotypic Correlations Between Feeding Behavior...supporting

confidence: 89%

Estimates of genetic parameters for feeding behavior traits and their associations with feed efficiency in Holstein cows

Cavani

Brown

Gaddis

et al. 2022

Journal of Dairy Science

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Residual feed intake (RFI) is commonly used to measure feed efficiency but individual intake recording systems are needed. Feeding behavior may be used as an indicator trait for feed efficiency using less expensive precision livestock farming technologies. Our goal was to estimate genetic parameters for feeding behavior and the genetic correlations with feed efficiency in Holstein cows. Data consisted of 75,877 daily feeding behavior records of 1,328 mid-lactation Holstein cows in 31 experiments conducted from 2009 to 2020 with an automated intake recording system. Feeding behavior traits included number of feeder visits per day, number of meals per day, duration of each feeder visit, duration of each meal, total duration of feeder visits, intake per visit, intake per meal [kg of dry matter (DM)], feeding rate per visit, and feeding rate per meal (kg of DM per min). The meal criterion was estimated as 26.4 min, which means that any pair of feeder visits separated by less than 26.4 min were considered part of the same meal. The statistical model included lactation and days in milk as fixed effects, and experiment-treatment, animal, and permanent environment as random effects. Genetic parameters for feeding behavior traits were estimated using daily records and weekly averages. Estimates of heritability for daily feeding behavior traits ranged from 0.09 ± 0.02 (number of meals; mean ± standard error) to 0.23 ± 0.03 (feeding rate per meal), with repeatability estimates ranging from 0.23 ± 0.01 (number of meals) to 0.52 ± 0.02 (number of feeder visits). Estimates of heritability for weekly averages of feeding behavior traits ranged from 0.19 ± 0.04 (number of meals) to 0.32 ± 0.04 (feeding rate per visit), with repeatability estimates ranging from 0.46 ± 0.02 (duration of each meal) to 0.62 ± 0.02 (feeding rate per visit and per meal). Most of the feeding behavior measures were strongly genetically correlated, showing that with more visits or meals per day, cows spend less time in each feeder visit or meal with lower intake per visit or meal. Weekly averages for feeding behavior traits were analyzed jointly with RFI and its components. Number of meals was genetically correlated with milk energy (0.48), metabolic body weight (−0.27), and RFI (0.19). Duration of each feeder visit and meal were genetically correlated with milk energy (0.43 and 0.44, respectively). Total duration of feeder visits per day was genetically correlated with DM intake (0.29), milk energy (0.62), metabolic body weight (−0.37), and RFI (0.20). Intake per visit and meal were genetically correlated with DM intake (0.63 and 0.87), milk energy (0.47 and 0.69), metabolic body weight (0.47 and 0.68), and RFI (0.31 and 0.65). Feeding rate was genetically correlated with DM intake (0.69), metabolic body weight (0.67), RFI (0.47), and milk energy (0.21). We conclude that measures of feeding behavior could be useful indicators of dairy cow feed efficiency, and individual cows that eat at a slower rate may be more feed efficient.

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Section: Genetic and Phenotypic Correlations Between Feeding Behavior...supporting

confidence: 89%

Estimates of genetic parameters for feeding behavior traits and their associations with feed efficiency in Holstein cows

Cavani

Brown

Gaddis

et al. 2022

Journal of Dairy Science

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“…Few production differences were observed once cows adapted to diet feeding regimens. However, consistent with other recent studies (Ben Meir et al, 2019), ECM feed efficiency was slightly improved in cows that had access to feed 19 versus 24 h/d due to slightly lower DMI.…”

supporting

confidence: 92%

“…However, this hay intake was not equal to the reduction in TMR intake, likely due to feed palatability or preference for the TMR over the hay alone. Restricted DMI has also been shown to improve feed efficiency in lactating cows (Ben Meir et al, 2019) and may represent an alternative feeding strategy in some situations.…”

Section: Limiting Total Mixed Ration Availability Alters Eating and Rumination Patterns Of Lactating Dairy Cowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limiting total mixed ration availability alters eating and rumination patterns of lactating dairy cows

Heinrichs

Cavallini

et al. 2021

JDS Communications

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Limiting total mixed ration (TMR) availability from 24 to 19 h/d changed the eating patterns of lactating dairy cows. Availability of ad libitum hay also made a significant difference in dry matter intake (DMI) patterns, as shown by the 95% confidence limits in the shaded bands. Rumen pH pattern throughout the day was modified in restricted-fed cows, but ranges in values were similar to those of ad libitum-fed cows. The changes in intake patterns over time indicate that when feeding TMR diets, cows can adjust to the changes in feed availability and access to long hay. Highlights• Limiting TMR availability for 5 h/d changed the eating and rumination patterns of lactating dairy cows.• Availability of ad libitum hay made a significant difference in DMI patterns.• Daily rumen pH pattern was modified in restricted-fed cows, but ranges in values were similar to those of ad libitum-fed cows. • When feeding very finely chopped diets, cows adjusted to the changes in feed availability and access to long hay.

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“…Additionally, interactions exist between nutrient intake and FB, which could be further manipulated. For example, researchers have attempted to increase feed efficiency through feed restriction, which reduced eating time, meal frequency, and bin visit frequency (Ben Meir et al, 2019). If a temporal relationship exists between FB and RFI, then perhaps inefficient cows can be managed in a manner to alter daily and temporal FB patterns and increase efficiency.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding behavior parameters and temporal patterns in mid-lactation Holstein cows across a range of residual feed intake values

Brown

Cavani

Peñagaricano

et al. 2022

Journal of Dairy Science

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Residual feed intake (RFI) is a measurement of the difference between actual and predicted feed intake when adjusted for energy sinks; more efficient cows eat less than predicted (low RFI) and inefficient cows eat more than predicted (high RFI). Data evaluating the relationship between RFI and feeding behaviors (FB) are limited in dairy cattle; therefore, the objective of this study was to determine daily and temporal FB in mid-lactation Holstein cows across a range of RFI values. Mid-lactation Holstein cows (n = 592 multiparous; 304 primiparous) were enrolled in 17 cohorts at 97 ± 26 d in milk (± standard deviation), and all cows within a cohort were fed a common diet using automated feeding bins. Cow RFI was calculated as the difference between predicted and observed dry matter intake (DMI) after accounting for parity, days in milk, milk energy, metabolic body weight and change, and experiment. The associations between RFI and FB at the level of meals and daily totals were evaluated using mixed models with the fixed effect of RFI and the random effects of cow and cohort. Daily temporal FB analyses were conducted using 2-h blocks and analyzed using mixed models with the fixed effects of RFI, time, RFI × time, and cohort, and the random effect of cow (cohort). There was a positive linear association between RFI and DMI in multiparous cows and a positive quadratic relationship in primiparous cows, where the rate of increase in DMI was less at higher RFI. Eating rate, DMI per meal, and size of the largest daily meal were positively associated with RFI. Daily temporal analysis of FB revealed an interaction between RFI and time for eating rate in multiparous and primiparous cows. The eating rate increased with greater RFI at 11 of 12 time points throughout the day, and eating rate differed across RFI between multiple time points. There tended to be an interaction between RFI and time for eating time and bin visits in multiparous cows but not primiparous cows. Overall, there was a time effect for all FB variables, where DMI, eating time and rate, and bin visits were greatest after the initial daily feeding at 1200 h, increased slightly after each milking, and reached a nadir at 0600 h (6 h before feeding). Considering the relationship between RFI and eating rate, additional efforts to determine cost-effective methods of quantifying eating rate in group-housed dairy cows is warranted. Further investigation is also warranted to determine if management strategies to alter FB, especially eating rate, can be effective in increasing feed efficiency in lactating dairy cattle.

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Dietary restriction improved feed efficiency of inefficient lactating cows

Cited by 15 publications

References 27 publications

Estimates of genetic parameters for feeding behavior traits and their associations with feed efficiency in Holstein cows

Estimates of genetic parameters for feeding behavior traits and their associations with feed efficiency in Holstein cows

Limiting total mixed ration availability alters eating and rumination patterns of lactating dairy cows

Feeding behavior parameters and temporal patterns in mid-lactation Holstein cows across a range of residual feed intake values

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