Using knowledge of dairy cow behaviour to improve feeding management

最近有大量证据表明，泌乳奶牛的行为模式对奶牛的健康、福利和生产效率有显著影响。管理做法导致奶牛吃得更少、更快、更大，并对其日粮进行更多的分类，这与亚急性瘤胃酸中毒的发生率增加有关，这种情况与消化率、饲料效率和乳脂产量降低有关。除饲喂行为外，泌乳奶牛的站立和躺卧行为模式也会影响奶牛的健康；劝阻奶牛在挤奶后立即躺下已被证明有助于预防亚临床和临床乳腺炎。传统上，奶牛每天挤两次奶，喂两次奶。近年来，很大一部分乳制品生产商已经过渡到3次/天的挤奶时间表，因为众所周知，增加挤奶频率将增加产量。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2次/天更频繁地挤奶。挤奶频率如何影响奶牛的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只给奶牛喂1次饲料，以尽量减少劳动力成本。没有研究评估饲喂频率对奶牛在3次/d挤奶频率下管理的影响。分娩的时间也可能影响奶牛的行为模式。尽管如此，还没有研究描述了饲料输送的最佳时间。本研究的总体目标是确定可实施的喂养管理实践，以促进有利于奶牛健康、生产效率和福利的理想行为模式。计划进行的试验将调查挤奶频率、饲喂频率和投喂时间对泌乳奶牛行为、产量、健康和效率的影响。总体而言，本研究将侧重于确定直接有助于改善奶牛健康和福利以及提高生产效率的喂养管理策略。

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.