Concentrate supplementation and milking frequency in automated milking with grazing

Bijeenkomst: EGF2015
Auteur: Foley C., Shortall J. and O’Brien B.
ISBN: 978-9090-289-61-8
Jaar van uitgifte: 2015
Producttype: Paper
Voluntary movement of cows from paddock to milking yard is an inherent aspect of an automatic milking system (AMS) integrated with grazing. The motivation for the cow to present at the milking yard, during the main grass-growing period, is the trained knowledge that they will be rewarded with fresh grass in a new paddock. In late-lactation concentrate supplementation assists in ensuring the cow receives adequate nutrition. Although the cow decides to present at the milking yard, AMS settings determine when the cow is milked based on milk yield and time since last milking. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of milking permission and concentrate supplementation on milk production and cow traffic. There were 4 treatments with combinations of milking permissions, 3.2 or 1.8 times per day and concentrate supplementation allowance of either 3 kg or 0.84 kg per day. This study has highlighted strategies to maintain consistent milk production and cow traffic in the latter stages of lactation, through adjusting AMS settings for concentration supplementation and milking permission.