THE UNEXPLORED FRONTIER: A PERSPECTIVE ON HOW FEEDING BEHAVIOR MAY CHANGE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF DAIRY CATTLE NUTRITION

摘要

Decades of research in dairy cattle nutrition have led to many discoveries and improvements in dairy health and production. Despite these advances, we are still faced with the challenge of ensuring adequate dry matter intake (DMI), particularly duringtransition when cows often have depressed appetite. Cows that experience decreased DMI during this period often fail to make a successful transition to their post-partum diet and, thus, are at risk of succumbing to disease. Further, following completionof the transition phase, producers are also faced with the continued challenge of maximizing milk production from their animals, which is dependent on the maintenance of high levels of DMI by the cows. As feeding behavior directly influences feed intake, it follows that taking into consideration the various factors that affect feeding behavior should increase our understanding of how to manage and feed dairy cattle, and thus, should be considered. In this paper we will first describe the factors that control the diurnal feeding pattern of group-housed dairy cows. Even though group-housing allows some freedom of movement for the cows and significant labor savings, compared to the more traditional tie-stall facilities, this type of housing can result inincreased competition at the feed bunk, which in turn may compromise health and production. Secondly, we will review studies showing how feeding management and the design of the feeding environment can be altered in ways that reduce this competition andallow for increased access to feed for all animals. We anticipate that improved understanding of feeding behavior together with the continued efforts by nutritionists will allow dairy producers to manage and house their dairy cattle in ways that will allow their cows to fully utilize the nutritional potential of the ration provided, thereby maximizing both health and production.