Using knowledge of dairy cow behaviour to improve feeding management

利用奶牛行为知识改善饲养管理

• 批准号: 445702-2012
• 负责人: DeVries, Trevor
• 金额: $ 0.83万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=535959
• 关键词: Using; knowledge; dairy; cow; behaviour

There is much recent evidence demonstrating that the behavioural patterns of lactating dairy cattle have significant effect on cow health, welfare, production efficiency. Management practices that cause dairy cows to eat fewer, faster, and larger meals and to sort their ration more are associated with an increased incidence of sub-acute ruminal acidosis, a condition associated with reduced digestibility, feed efficiency, and milk fat production. In addition to feeding behaviours, standing and lying behaviour patterns of lactating dairy cattle also affect cow health; discouraging cows from lying down immediately after milking has been shown to assist in the prevention of subclinical and clinical mastitis. Traditionally, dairy cows are milked and fed twice daily. In recent years, a significant proportion of dairy producers have transitioned to a 3x/d milking schedule, as it is well known that increased milking frequency will increase production. There are also an increasing proportion of dairy producers adopting automated (robotic) milking systems; a benefit of these systems is the ability to have cows milked more frequently than the traditional 2x/d. It is largely unknown how milking frequency impacts cow behaviour patterns. Also, in recent years, many dairy producers have opted to deliver feed to dairy cows only 1x/d to minimize labour costs. No research has evaluated the effect of feeding frequency for cows managed under 3x/d milking frequency. The timing of that delivery may also impact cow behavioural patterns. Despite this, there is no research that describes the optimal timing of feed delivery. The overall objective of this research is to identify feeding management practices that can be implemented to promote desirable behavioural patterns that are conducive to greater health, efficiency of production, and welfare of dairy cows. The experiments planned will investigate the effects of milking frequency, feeding frequency, and the timing of feed delivery on the behaviour, production, health, and efficiency of lactating dairy cows. Overall, this research will be focused on identifying feeding management strategies that contribute directly to improve dairy cattle health and welfare, as well as to promote greater efficiency of production.

近年来的研究表明，泌乳奶牛的行为模式对奶牛的健康、福利和生产效率有着重要的影响。导致奶牛吃得更少、更快和更大的膳食以及更多地对它们的配给进行分类的管理实践与亚急性瘤胃酸中毒的发生率增加有关，亚急性瘤胃酸中毒是与消化率降低、饲料效率和乳脂产生有关的病症。除喂养行为外，泌乳奶牛的站立和躺卧行为模式也会影响奶牛健康;已证明，阻止奶牛在挤奶后立即躺卧有助于预防亚临床型和临床型乳腺炎。传统上，奶牛每天挤奶和喂食两次。近年来，很大一部分乳制品生产商已经过渡到每天3次挤奶计划，因为众所周知，增加挤奶频率将提高产量。越来越多的乳制品生产商采用自动化（机器人）挤奶系统;这些系统的一个好处是能够比传统的2x/d更频繁地挤奶。挤奶频率如何影响奶牛行为模式在很大程度上是未知的。此外，近年来，许多乳制品生产商选择每天仅向奶牛提供1x饲料，以最大限度地降低劳动力成本。没有研究评估饲喂频率对在3x/d挤奶频率下管理的奶牛的影响。分娩的时间也可能影响奶牛的行为模式。尽管如此，没有研究描述饲料输送的最佳时机。本研究的总体目标是确定可以实施的饲养管理实践，以促进有利于奶牛更健康，生产效率和福利的理想行为模式。计划的实验将研究挤奶频率，饲喂频率和饲料输送时间对泌乳奶牛的行为，生产，健康和效率的影响。总的来说，这项研究将集中在确定饲养管理策略，直接有助于改善奶牛的健康和福利，以及促进更高的生产效率。