Effects of Concentrate Intake on Subsequent Roughage Intake and Eating Behavior of Cows in an Automatic Milking System

• Published in: Journal of dairy science Vol. 79; no. 9; pp. 1572 - 1580
• Main Authors: Morita, S., Devir, S., Ketelaar-De Lauwere, C.C., Smits, A.C., Hogeveen, H., Metz, J.H.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Savoy, IL Elsevier Inc 01.09.1996; Am Dairy Sci Assoc; American Dairy Science Association
• Subjects: ALIMENT CONCENTRE POUR ANIMAUX; ALIMENTACION DE LOS ANIMALES; ALIMENTATION DES ANIMAUX; Animal Feed; Animal productions; Animals; automatic milking; Biological and medical sciences; BOVIN; Cattle - physiology; Circadian Rhythm; COBERTIZOS PARA EL GANADO; cow traffic; Dairying - methods; Diet; Dietary Fiber - administration & dosage; DISTRIBUTEUR D'ALIMENT; Eating - physiology; ENSILADO; ENSILAGE (PRODUIT); ETABLE; feed intake; Female; FORRAJE GROSERO; FOURRAGE GROSSIER; FRECUENCIA DE LAS COMIDAS; FREQUENCE DES REPAS; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GANADO BOVINO; GRAMINEAS FORRAJERAS; GRAMINEE FOURRAGERE; GRANEROS; GRANGE; group housing; INGESTION DE PIENSOS; Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering; Instituut voor Mechanisatie, Arbeid en Gebouwen; Lactation; MAIS; MAIZ; PAUTAS ALIMENTARIAS; PIENSOS CONCENTRADOS; PRISE ALIMENTAIRE (ANIMAUX); PULPA DE REMOLACHA; PULPE DE BETTERAVE; RECIPIENTES DE PIENSOS; SALAS DE ORDENO; SALLE DE TRAITE; SCHEMA ALIMENTAIRE; Silage; Terrestrial animal productions; Time Factors; VACA; VACAS LECHERAS; VACHE; VACHE LAITIERE; Vertebrates; group housing; AMs; feed intake; cow traffic; PMI; automatic milking; BMI; Farming animal; Feeding behavior; Animal feeding; Dairy cattle; Ox; Cow; Mechanical milking; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Bulk food; Artiodactyla; Ungulata; Feed intake; Feed
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(96)76519-0

Twenty-three cows were kept in a free-stall barn with an automatic system for milking and feeding. The cows were offered mixed silage for ad libitum consumption. Concentrates were fed with the automatic milking system. This experiment examined the eating behavior of cows and the relationship between the intake of concentrate and the subsequent intake of roughage in a free-stall barn with an automatic milking system. An individual meal criterion was used to characterize the meal pattern of each cow. Daily roughage intake and the time spent on meals ranged from 25.6 to 40.2 kg/d and from 70.1 to 240.0 min/d, respectively. Meal duration and size did not differ, regardless of whether concentrate was eaten or not eaten during the premeal interval. Multiple regression analysis showed that the partial regression coefficient for the duration of the premeal interval was significant for each cow, and the regression coefficient for the intake of concentrate during the premeal interval was significant for 78% of the cows. Separation of the eating phases into concentrate and roughage showed that the cows made many repeated traffic cycles through the automatic milking system and feeding section of the barn, thus revealing a high demand for concentrate under the experimental conditions.