| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
1 Animal Welfare Program, The University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 Canada
2 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Centre, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1 Canada
Corresponding author: T. DeVries; e-mail: trevorjd{at}interchange.ubc.ca.
The objectives of this study were to examine how frequency of feed delivery affects 1) the behavior of group-housed and group-fed dairy cows and 2) the extent of feed sorting. These objectives were tested in two experiments. In each experiment, 48 lactating Holstein cows, split into groups of 12, were subjected to each of 2 treatments (over 10-d periods) in a cross-over design. The treatments for the first experiment were 1) delivery of feed once per day (1x) and 2) delivery of feed twice per day (2x). Treatments for the second experiment were 1) delivery of feed 2x and 2) delivery of feed four times per day (4x). For the 1x, 2x, and 4x treatments, feed was pushed up 3, 2, and 0 times per day, respectively. For both experiments, cows had 0.6 m of feeding space; one cows was allowed per lying stall. Time-lapse video was used to quantify the feeding and lying behavior, as well as the aggressive behavior displayed at the feed bunk by the cows. Changes in NDF content of the TMR throughout the day were used to determine the extent of feed sorting by the cows. In both experiments, increased frequency of feed provision increased, as well as changed, the distribution of daily feeding time. The changes in distribution of feeding time resulted in cows having more equal access to feed throughout the day. Frequency of feed delivery had no effect on the daily lying time of the cows or the daily incidence of aggressive interactions at the feed bunk. However, subordinate cows were not displaced as frequently when fed more often. For all treatments, in both experiments, the NDF content of the TMR present in the feed bunk increased throughout the day, indicating that sorting of the feed had occurred. Further, the amount of sorting of the feed was reduced by increasing the frequency of feed delivery from 1x to 2x. These results indicate that frequent delivery of feed improves access to feed for all cows, particularly during peak feeding periods when fresh feed is provided, and reduces the amount of feed sorting.
Key Words: frequency of feed delivery • feeding behavior • dairy cow
Abbreviation key: 1x = feed delivery once a day, 2x = feed delivery twice a day, 4x = feed delivery 4 times a day
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D. Val-Laillet, D. M. Veira, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk Short Communication: Dominance in Free-Stall-Housed Dairy Cattle Is Dependent upon Resource J Dairy Sci, October 1, 2008; 91(10): 3922 - 3926. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. J. DeVries, F. Dohme, and K. A. Beauchemin Repeated Ruminal Acidosis Challenges in Lactating Dairy Cows at High and Low Risk for Developing Acidosis: Feed Sorting J Dairy Sci, October 1, 2008; 91(10): 3958 - 3967. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Hosseinkhani, T. J. DeVries, K. L. Proudfoot, R. Valizadeh, D. M. Veira, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk The Effects of Feed Bunk Competition on the Feed Sorting Behavior of Close-Up Dry Cows J Dairy Sci, March 1, 2008; 91(3): 1115 - 1121. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. J. DeVries, K. A. Beauchemin, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk Dietary Forage Concentration Affects the Feed Sorting Behavior of Lactating Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, December 1, 2007; 90(12): 5572 - 5579. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. Robles, L. A. Gonzalez, A. Ferret, X. Manteca, and S. Calsamiglia Effects of feeding frequency on intake, ruminal fermentation, and feeding behavior in heifers fed high-concentrate diets J Anim Sci, October 1, 2007; 85(10): 2538 - 2547. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Leonardi and L. E. Armentano Short Communication: Feed Selection by Dairy Cows Fed Individually in a Tie-Stall or as a Group in a Free-Stall Barn J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2007; 90(5): 2386 - 2389. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Z. Caraviello, K. A. Weigel, M. Craven, D. Gianola, N. B. Cook, K. V. Nordlund, P. M. Fricke, and M. C. Wiltbank Analysis of Reproductive Performance of Lactating Cows on Large Dairy Farms Using Machine Learning Algorithms J Dairy Sci, December 1, 2006; 89(12): 4703 - 4722. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Z. Caraviello, K. A. Weigel, P. M. Fricke, M. C. Wiltbank, M. J. Florent, N. B. Cook, K. V. Nordlund, N. R. Zwald, and C. L. Rawson Survey of Management Practices on Reproductive Performance of Dairy Cattle on Large US Commercial Farms J Dairy Sci, December 1, 2006; 89(12): 4723 - 4735. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Mantysaari, H. Khalili, and J. Sariola Effect of feeding frequency of a total mixed ration on the performance of high-yielding dairy cows. J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2006; 89(11): 4312 - 4320. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. J. DeVries and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk Feed stalls affect the social and feeding behavior of lactating dairy cows. J Dairy Sci, September 1, 2006; 89(9): 3522 - 3531. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M. Huzzey, T. J. DeVries, P. Valois, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk Stocking Density and Feed Barrier Design Affect the Feeding and Social Behavior of Dairy Cattle J Dairy Sci, January 1, 2006; 89(1): 126 - 133. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
