Electronically controlled feeding troughs for dairy cows: some nutritional implications

Abstract

SUMMARYOver 3 years, 4 groups of heifers and 6 groups of cows calving in the autumn were used in a study of electronically controlled compound feed dispensers. For each group the treatments consisted of access or no access to the dispensers (selector feeders) arranged factorially with 2 levels of compound feed in the milking parlour. These were applied in weeks 3–15 of lactation. A basal diet including high quality silage was fed ad lib. communally to each group. The mean intake of compound from the dispensers was 5·6 kg/d, but there was considerable variation from animal to animal. The dispensers were visited at all times of the day and notably during the night. There was no bullying around the feeders. Milk yield was greater with the higher level of parlour feeding, and with access to the feed dispenser at the lower, but not the higher level of parlour feeding. Liveweight change benefited from additional compound feed supplied by either method.