Nutrition tips for robotic milking systems
Equal attention needs to be paid to concentrate fed through the robot and the ration at the feed fence to maximise milking efficiencies and performance on robotic milking systems.
That was the message from Professor Trevor DeVries from The University of Guelph, speaking as part of a Mole Valley Farmers research and development webinar for its nutritionists.
“It’s not just the feed in the robot, but the feed at the feed bunk which plays as important a role for promoting voluntary milking visits,” he said. “We need to be thinking about these feeds as a whole rather than thinking about them as two separate components.”
Did you know?
- A study of 791 dairy herds in Ontario, Canada, found that the odds of ketosis in multiparous cows increased by 1.45 fold on farms with robots.
- A study showed that supplementing cows with molasses through the robot in early lactation improved energy balance and reduced the occurrence of recurring, positive sub-clinical ketosis tests.
For rationing advice on robotic milking systems, speak to your local Nutritionist or call the Feed and Nutritionists Line on 01278 444829.
