HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Interpretive Summary Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by DeVries, T. J. Articles by von Keyserlingk, M. A. G. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by DeVries, T. J. Articles by von Keyserlingk, M. A. G.

Short communication: Feeding method affects the feeding behavior of growing dairy heifers

T. J. DeVries^*,1 and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk

^* Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Kemptville Campus, Kemptville, Ontario, K0G 1J0, Canada
Animal Welfare Program, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada

¹ Corresponding author: tdevries{at}kemptvillec.uoguelph.ca

There is limited information available on what is the most appropriate feeding method for growing dairy heifers. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding method on the feeding behavior and diet selection of growing dairy heifers. Six prepubescent Holstein heifers (158.2 ± 4.0 d old, weighing 168.2 ± 15.7 kg), fed once per day for 1.0 kg/d of growth, were subjected to each of 3 treatments in 3 successive 7-d treatment periods using a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square design. Treatments consisted of feeding 2.02 kg/d dry matter of grain concentrate and ad libitum chopped grass hay as: 1) choice (grain concentrate and hay in separate feed bins), 2) top-dressed ration (grain concentrate placed on top of the hay in one feed bin), and 3) total mixed ration (TMR, grain concentrate mixed with hay in one feed bin). Dry matter intake (DMI) and feeding behavior were monitored for 7 d for each animal on each treatment, and feed sorting was monitored for the last 3 d of each treatment period. The provision of grain concentrate and hay in either a choice or top-dressed situation resulted in young dairy heifers rapidly consuming the grain concentrate portion of their ration in very few, large meals before consuming the hay portion of their ration. The provision of the 2 ration ingredients as a TMR increased the distribution of DMI over the day and reduced the amount of sorting (against long forage particles, and for short grain concentrate particles) by heifers. These results suggest that the provision of a TMR to growing dairy heifers, as opposed to feeding concentrate and hay as either a choice or top-dressed, promotes a more balanced intake of nutrients across the day.

Key Words: heifer • component feeding • TMR • sorting