Using knowledge of dairy cow behaviour to improve feeding management

近年来有大量证据表明，奶牛的行为模式对奶牛的健康、福利、生产效率有着重要的影响。导致奶牛吃得更少、更快、更多的管理做法，以及更多地对其日粮进行分类，与亚急性瘤胃酸中毒的发病率增加有关，这是一种与降低消化率、饲料效率和乳脂产量相关的情况。除了进食行为外，哺乳奶牛的站立和卧卧行为模式也影响奶牛的健康；事实证明，劝阻奶牛在挤奶后立即躺下有助于预防亚临床和临床性乳房炎。传统上，奶牛每天挤奶和喂养两次。近年来，很大一部分奶牛场已经过渡到3倍/天挤奶计划，因为众所周知，增加挤奶频率将增加产量。也有越来越多的乳制品生产商采用自动(机器人)挤奶系统；这些系统的一个好处是能够让奶牛比传统的2倍/d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提供1倍的饲料，以最大限度地减少劳动力成本。还没有研究评估饲喂频率对3倍/天挤奶频率管理的奶牛的影响。分娩的时机也可能影响奶牛的行为模式。尽管如此，还没有研究描述饲料输送的最佳时机。这项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、生产效率和福利更高的理想行为模式。计划中的试验将调查挤奶频率、饲喂频率和饲料输送时间对奶牛的行为、生产、健康和效率的影响。总体而言，这项研究将侧重于确定直接有助于改善奶牛健康和福利的饲养管理战略，以及促进更高的生产效率。

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.