Evaluation of NOSCOW

Abstract

Two data sets have been used to evaluate NOSCOW, a model of the energy system of cows which allows milk production and live-weight change to be predicted simultaneously from dietary energy intake (Bruce, Broadbent and Topps, 1984).Black and White Danish Dairy Cows (SDM) were used by Østergaard (1979) to study concentrate feeding strategies. There were nine treatments which differed in the level and pattern of concentrates fed over the first 36 weeks of lactation. These treatments caused substantial differences in the levels and patterns of energy intake.