Timing of supplementation alters grazing behavior and milk production response in dairy cows

• Published in: Journal of dairy science 2013-01, Vol.96 (1), p.477-483
• Main Authors: Sheahan, A.J., Gibbs, S.J., Roche, J.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animals; Cattle; dairy cow; dairy cows; Diet - veterinary; Dietary Supplements; Eating - drug effects; Eating - physiology; feed supplements; Feeding Behavior - drug effects; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Female; grazing; grazing behavior; Holstein; Lactation - drug effects; Lactation - physiology; milk; milk production; milking; pastures; Time Factors; timing of supplementation
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.2012-5781

Offering feed supplements to grazing dairy cows results in substitution of pasture; however, previous data indicate that the time at which concentrate supplements are offered might affect the level of substitution. These data indicated that cows grazed more intensely presunset, regardless of the amount of supplement offered. It was, therefore, hypothesized that substitution rate would be less, and response to supplement greater if cows received their supplement at the p.m. rather than the a.m. milking. Forty-eight multiparous, nonpregnant, Holstein-Friesian cows, approximately 60d in milk, were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments in an incomplete crossover arrangement. Treatments were pasture only, pasture + 3kg of concentrate supplement dry matter (DM) offered during the a.m. milking (AM-SUP), and pasture + 3kg of concentrate supplement DM offered during the p.m. milking (PM-SUP). Time spent grazing and calculated pasture DM intake did not differ between the AM-SUP and PM-SUP cows. However, a tendency (0.18kg of milk/kg of concentrate DM) was observed for an increased marginal milk response (kg of milk/kg of DM supplement) for the AM-SUP cows when compared with PM-SUP cows. Irrespective of when supplements were offered, supplementation reduced total grazing time by a similar amount, and the reduction in time spent grazing was evident throughout the day. Cows in the PM-SUP group ruminated for longer and cows in the AM-SUP group spent more time idle compared with the pasture only groups. Cows in the AM-SUP group grazed for less time during the major a.m. grazing bout following a.m. milking compared with PM-SUP cows; in comparison, the major p.m. grazing bout following p.m. milking was unaffected by supplementation. The results indicated possible improvements in marginal milk response to supplements from altering the timing of delivery.