Improve milk production by understanding herd eating patterns
Get the most out of your data!
Get the most out of your data!
Without feed, there’s no milk – every dairy farmer knows that. But achieving higher milk production involves more than just providing feed. By optimizing not only the feed itself but also the feeding patterns, you can significantly boost milk yield. Discover how to analyze feeding patterns, and what actions you can take.
As with any optimization, it starts with observation and analysis. If you’ve already invested in automated behavior monitoring, like Nedap’s cow monitoring system, it offers more than just daily alerts for heat and health. It also provides opportunities for deeper analysis, such as examining feeding patterns. Essentially, you can extract more insights from the same data!
A consistent feed intake is crucial for good milk production. Cows need a constant supply of energy to produce milk and the pH in the rumen must remain within a stable range for proper digestion[1]. Additionally, cows are creatures of habit and thrive on regular routines, which reduces stress. By ensuring that cows eat regularly and sufficiently, you optimize both milk production, health and well-being of the animals.
The feeding pattern of all cows in a group is combined and displayed in a graph as a percentage of cows eating simultaneously (Figure 1). On a timeline, you can see the feeding pattern from the past 24 hours as a sharp dark blue line, with the pattern from the past ten days shown as a light blue shadow behind it. At a glance, you can tell whether the intake pattern is consistent daily (narrow range) or if it shifts slightly each day or time (wider bandwidth). Peaks indicate when many cows are eating at once, such as when fresh feed is provided or when feed is pushed up.
Figure 1: The Herd eating pattern shows when and what percentage of the herd is eating.
In this example the graph shows that cows are milked three times a day (blue dots), as you see a drop in intake because the cows are in the parlor, but also a quick return back to feed afterwards. It also shows that cows don’t eat between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM. This could mean that feed may not be available or accessible to the cows. Additionally, the shift in the circled high peak at the end of the timeline shows that yesterday, the cows were fed an hour later (sharp blue line) than on previous days (light blue shadow). With the historic data available in the interface it’s also possible to view trends over a longer period, allowing you to identify changes in the feed or seasonal variations.
Nedap Herd eating patterns
Watch the video to discover the insights you can gain from feeding patterns.
This information allows you to adjust your farm’s protocols and monitor compliance: Are my feeding and milking times consistent every day? How often is the feed pushed up? Is fresh feed always available and accessible to the cows? You can also detect abnormalities: Is there something wrong with the feed? Are the cows eating less due to heat stress or a change in the feed?
Cows are creatures of habit and prefer to eat at regular times. Because of the hierarchy within the group, not all cows may eat at the same time. The dominant cows may eat first when fresh feed is provided. Therefore, feed should always be available so that all cows have sufficient access. If at any point no cows are eating, it’s a clear sign that no feed is available, which you want to avoid.
And if you have or advice on multiple locations, it is also possible to compare the eating patterns. Locations with a milking robot have a different, more even herd eating pattern than locations with fixed milking times. The latter show more peaks and troughs in the percentage of cows eating at the same time. Insight into peak times can be used to evaluate the design of the barn and the amount of bunk space required for a pen and, where possible, adjust feed management accordingly.
Of course, attention lists and work lists remain your most practical tools for daily tasks. However, for dairy farmers looking to further improve milk production, Nedap’s analytical tools provide the opportunity to fine-tune operations. You don’t need to do this daily; instead, you can schedule it at regular intervals weekly or monthly, thanks to the historic data in the interface.
You can also have these feeding patterns analyzed by your feed advisor, who can then provide you with well-founded advice. This applies to fertility or health analyses as well. You can easily grant external advisors, such as your nutritionist, veterinarian, or breeding specialist, access to Nedap’s cow monitoring system with the permissions you choose. This enhances the value of their advice, enabling you to work together as a team to optimize your dairy farm.
Are you looking for ways to improve milk production on your farm? Dive into the analytical tools of CowControl, Nedap’s cow monitoring system. Ask your supplier for more information or contact our local distribution partners.
