Effect of frequency of feed delivery on the behavior and productivity of lactating dairy cows

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feed delivery frequency on the behavioral patterns and productivity of lactating dairy cows. Twelve freestall-housed, lactating Holstein dairy cows, including 6 primiparous (PP) and 6 multiparous (MP), milked 3×/d (at 1400, 2200, and 0600h), were exposed to each of 3 treatments (over 21-d periods) in a replicated Latin square design. Treatments included feed delivery frequency of (1) 1×/d (at 1400 h), (2) 2×/d (at 1400 and 2200 h), and (3) 3×/d (at 1400, 2200, and 0600 h). Milk production as well as feeding, lying, and rumination behaviors were electronically monitored for each animal for the last 7 d of each treatment period. Milk samples were collected for the last 3 d of each period for milk component analysis. Dry matter intake (DMI) varied with feed delivery frequency, with greatest DMI observed in cows fed 3×/d (27.8 kg/d) compared with those fed 2×/d (27.0 kg/d) or 1×/d (27.4 kg/d). Treatment had no effect on milk yield (41.3 kg/d) or efficiency of production (1.54 kg of milk/kg of DMI). Cows that did not receive delivery of feed following the 2200 h milking (treatment 1) and 0600 h milking (treatments 1 and 2) had lower DMI during the first hour after milking than those that received feed at all milkings (treatment 3). Total feeding time and meal frequency, size, and duration did not vary by treatment, but PP cows consumed smaller meals at a slower rate, resulting in lower DMI compared with MP cows. Primiparous cows consumed 50.1% and 26.1% less dry matter than MP cows during the first meal following the first and second milkings, respectively. Lying time did not vary by treatment, but PP cows spent more time lying (10.3 vs. 8.3 h/d) than MP cows. Under 3×/d milking schedules, greater feed delivery frequency resulted in greater DMI as a function of increased DMI following the return from milking and the delivery of feed.

Use of novel sensors combining local positioning and acceleration to measure feeding behavior differences associated with lameness in dairy cattle

“…The moderate sensitivity for classification of feeding and nonfeeding behavior may have been due to the necessary assumption that cows maintained a single behavior for the 20-min window represented by the instantaneous scan sample. Standing, lying, and feeding bouts are generally much longer than this in duration, as reported here and previously; for example, Blackie et al (2011) reported lying and standing bouts averaged greater than 60 min, similar to Hart et al (2014), who also reported average feeding bouts exceeding than 24 min for primi-and multiparous cows. However, it is possible that changes in activity during these periods resulted in misclassification within the decision tree algorithm.…”

Effects of supplementation of dietary antioxidants and chelated trace minerals in periparturient dairy cows and subsequent response to intramammary bacterial challenge

“…The results of our milk yield and composition variables were consistent with other published results (Chamberlin et al, 2013;Hart et al, 2014;Kessel et al, 2008;Kessler et al, 2014;Rastani et al, 2005;De Vries and Veerkamp, 2000). Even with no observed significant effects of addition of any type of supplements used in this study on milk yield, the inclusion of supplements seems to be increase milk production in PP cows.…”

Energy balance and diurnal variation in methane production as affected by feeding frequency in Jersey cows in late lactation

“…However, there was a trend for milk yield to decrease (P = 0.097) with increasing feeding frequency (21.2 vs. 20.4 ± 1.59 kg/d for once-vs. twice-daily feeding, respectively). This observation was not expected because it is generally believed that increased feed frequency would result in increased feed intake and, as a consequence, increased milk yield (Hart et al, 2014); however, such responses are not always observed (Nocek and Braund, 1985). Increasing feeding frequency has been observed to increase the percentage of milk fat (Nocek and Braund, 1985), which has been attributed to the stabilization of the pH in the rumen.…”