Effect of feeding out frequency of mixed feed on feeding behaviour, feed intake, and milk production in an automatic milking herd

Excellent feed management is one of the main drivers to achieve high production outputs in Precision Dairy Farming (PLF). In this context, increased automation offers possibilities to serve fresh feed at a higher frequency to motivate cows to have more meals and eat more feed. A trial was set up in a commercial dairy herd where each of two experimental treatments was applied twice to two groups of lactating cows. The treatments included (1) partially mixed ration (PMR) divided into six servings of equal size per day (one every four hours) and (2) PMR divided into twelve servings of equal size per day (one every two hours). Every experimental period lasted seven days and was preceded by a seven days transition period with the new feeding out frequency applied. Mixed models were used to evaluate the effect of the experimental treatments on three feed event-based feeding behaviours and three meal-based feeding behaviours, dry matter and energy intake, daily milk yield and number of milkings. In this study, feeding the PMR divided into twelve servings per day resulted in a small but significant increase in average daily feed intake per cow. The feed was consumed during more feed events and meals, however, of shorter duration and shorter total feed time. In short, cows ate more in less time with twelve feed deliveries. The increase in feed intake and change in feeding behavior did not convert into increased milk attendance or milk production as we found no effect of feeding frequency on number of milkings per day or daily milk yield. Group, parity, days in milk and repetition included in the statistical models proved to be important factors for most of the response variables.status: accepte