feeding behavior of the high why consider behavior at the ... · 18/02/2016 · producing cow 2016...

Feeding behavior of the high

producing cow

2016 Virginia State Feed Association &

Nutritional Management “Cow” College

February 18, 2016

Trevor DeVries

[email protected]

Why consider behavior at the

feed bunk?

Changes in intake must be mediated

through changes in feeding behavior

DMI (lb/d)

Feeding time (min/d)

Feeding rate (lb/min)

Meal length (min/meal)

Meal frequency (meals/d)

Meal size (lb/meal)

Nielsen . B. L. 1999. Appl. Anim. Beh. Sci. 63:79-91

More time and meals at the bunk =

greater DMI

DMI was associated with:

◦ feeding time (+0.5 lb/10 min)

◦ meal frequency (+0.5 lb/meal)

Data from Johnston and DeVries. 2015. J. Dairy Sci. E-Suppl. 2 98:450-451.

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

DM

I (lb

/d)

Feeding time (min/d)

2016 Virginia State Feed Association & Nutritional Management "Cow" College 02/18/16

DeVries | University of Guelph 1

Why consider behavior at the

feed bunk?

Feeding behavior can have a direct impact

on rumen digestion, health, efficiency, and

productivity

◦ how feed is consumed

◦ when feed is consumed

◦ what feed was actually consumed

How do cows eat?

Eating behavior impacts rumen

function…

◦ Fewer, larger meals

Larger declines in rumen pH (Allen, 1997)

Data from Dohme et al. 2008 J. Dairy Sci. 91:3554–3567

Large declines in rumen pH following

feed consumption…

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

6:00 9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00

rum

en p

H

Time (h)

How do cows eat?

Eating behavior impacts rumen

function…

◦ Fewer, larger meals

Larger declines in rumen pH (Allen, 1997)

◦ Longer feeding times, slower feeding

rate

More stable rumen environment



3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

6:00 9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00

Time (h)

rum

en p

H

Data from Dohme et al. 2008 J. Dairy Sci. 91:3554–3567

Minimal declines in rumen pH following

feed consumption…

0.000.501.001.502.002.503.003.504.004.505.00

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Milk

fat c

onte

nt (

%)

Meal frequency (#/d) Data from DeVries and Chevaux. 2014. J. Dairy Sci. 97:6499-6510

More meals = greater milk fat %

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

4% F

at-c

orre

cted

milk

yie

ld (

lb/d

)

Meal frequency (#/d)

More meals = greater 4% FCM yield

Data from DeVries and Chevaux. 2014. J. Dairy Sci. 97:6499-6510

When do cows eat?



% c

ows

eatin

g

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00

Time (h)

Tucker et al., 2007. J. Dairy Sci. 90:1692-1703

Feeding behavior on pasture… Delivery of TMR at the same time

as milking

0

20

40

60

80

100

4:00 7:00 10:00 13:00 16:00 19:00 22:00 1:00 4:00

Time (h)

% o

f cow

s at

the

feed

bun

k

DeVries and von Keyserlingk, 2005; J. Dairy Sci. 88: 3553-3562

0

20

40

60

80

100

4:00 7:00 10:00 13:00 16:00 19:00 22:00 1:00 4:00

Time (h)

% o

f cow

s at

the

feed

bun

k

DeVries and von Keyserlingk, 2005; J. Dairy Sci. 88: 3553-3562

Delivery of TMR 6 hours after

milking What do cows actually

consume?



What effects does feed soring

have?

At a cow level…

◦ Lower milk fat % DeVries et al. 2011. J. Dairy Sci. 94:4039-4045

Fish and DeVries. 2012. J. Dairy Sci. 95:850-855

Miller-Cushon and DeVries. 2015. J. Dairy Sci. E-Suppl. 2 98:13.

Other cows…

◦May not meet nutrient requirements

◦ Poor bunk access

30

33

36

39

42

45

% N

DF

5:30 11:00 15:15 22:30 5:00 (orts) Time (h)

Adapted from DeVries et al, 2005; J. Dairy Sci. 88: 3553-3562


have?


have?

At a herd level…

◦ Every 2% refusal of long particles =

-2.0 lb/d 4% fat corrected milk

2% decrease in production efficiency

Sova et al. 2013. J. Dairy Sci. 96:4759-4770

•Allow cows to eat…

•A ration balanced to meet their

requirements

•Their feed as delivered, and in a

manner conducive to rumen health

and efficiency

How do we use this knowledge to

optimize cow health and productivity?



How do we ensure cows eat feed as

delivered, and in a manner conducive

to rumen health and efficiency?

Ensure cows have access to the

ration formulated for them

throughout the day!

How do we accomplish this?

Ensure cows…

Have access to feed

Are also stimulated to access

their feed throughout the day

Delivery of feed once per day

DeVries et al, 2005; J. Dairy Sci. 88: 3553-3562

0

20

40

60

80

100

04:00 07:00 10:00 13:00 16:00 19:00 22:00 01:00 04:00

Time

% o

f cow

s at

the

feed

bun

k



Delivery of feed twice per day


0

20

40

60

80

100

04:00 07:00 10:00 13:00 16:00 19:00 22:00 01:00 04:00

Time

% o

f cow

s at

the

feed

bun

k

Delivery of feed four times per day


0

20

40

60

80

100

4:00 7:00 10:00 13:00 16:00 19:00 22:00 1:00 4:00

Time

% o

f cow

s at

the

feed

bun

k

Reduced sorting with >1x per day

feed delivery!

0

33

36

39

42

45

1x feeding

2x feeding

% N

DF

5:30 11:00 15:15 22:30 5:00 (orts) Time (h)


Feeding more than 1x results in

greater:

◦Milk fat % and yield (Rottman et al. 2014;

Macmillan and Oba, 2015)

◦ Efficiency of production (Mantysaari et

al., 2006)

◦ Dry matter intake (Hart et al., 2014)

What does this translate into for

the cow?



Greatest DMI observed when cows

were fed 3x/d

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 0:00 3:00 6:00 9:00

DM

I (kg

)

Time (h)

1x feeding2x feeding3x feeding

3x feeding

1x, 2x & 3x feeding

2x & 3x feeding

Hart et al. 2014. J. Dairy Sci. 97:1713-1724.

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 0:00 2:00 4:00 6:00 8:00 10:00 12:00

DM

I (kg

/h)

Time (h)

Feeding at milking

Feeding between milkings

= milking King et al. 2016. J. Dairy Sci. 99:1471–1482

Stimulate feeding activity across

the day!

Ensure feed is pushed in and

within reach!

Time (h)

% o

f cow

s at

the

feed

bun

k Milking & feeding

Milking & feeding

Push up Push up

DeVries et al, 2003; J. Dairy Sci. 86:4079-4082

0

20

40

60

80

100

00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00

Does feed push-up stimulate cows the

same as feed delivery?



0

20

40

60

80

100

00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00

Time (h)

% o

f cow

s at

the

feed

bun

k Milking & feeding

Milking & feeding

Push up Push up Push up

Does feed push-up stimulate cows the

same as feed delivery?

DeVries et al, 2003; J. Dairy Sci. 86:4079-4082

Push-up feed frequently…

Ensures feed is in the bunk when the

cows go there

Provides a more consistent product in the

bunk

Minimize competition at the

feed bunk! 16 inches/cow

24 inches/cow

8 inches/cow

32 inches/cow

0

20

40

60

80

100

0:00 3:00 6:00 9:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00

Fresh Feed

Fresh Feed

Push Up

Push Up

Push Up

Milking

Milking

Time (h)

% o

f co

ws

feedin

g

What happens when we increase

stocking density?

Huzzey et al., 2006. J. Dairy Sci. 89:126-133



Results from study of parlor

milked, free-stall herds in Canada

Greater bunk space (per cow):

◦ +0.06% milk fat per 4 inch increase

◦ -13% SCC per 4 inch increase

Sova et al. 2013. J. Dairy Sci. 96:4759-4770

The manner in which cows consume

their feed may be just as important as

the feed that we provide to them!

◦Maximize time at the bunk!

◦ Encourage small, frequent meals!

◦ Discourage feed sorting!

Take home messages:

Questions???

Thank you to NSERC, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food

Canada, the Canadian Dairy Commission, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Lallemand

Animal Nutrition, Westgen, the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British

Columbia, the Canadian Bovine Mastitis Research Network, the Ontario

Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, the University of Guelph, and the

University of British Columbia Animal Welfare Program for their financial

support.



feeding behavior of the high why consider behavior at the ... · 18/02/2016 · producing cow 2016...

Documents