Comparing two concentrate allowances in an automatic milking system

Abstract

This study investigated the potential for applying an automatic milking system (AMS) to the management of high-yielding cows offered a total mixed ration (TMR). The null hypothesis was that it is desirable to maintain even in AMS, the TMR feeding management practice recommended for high-yielding cows and therefore it can be attained by ‘reducing the concentrate allocation in the robot without reducing the number of milkings’. Two feeding regimes were used: the ‘candy concept’, with only 1·2 kg of food concentrate – the minimum to attract the cow – provided at each visit to the milking robot; and the provision of a maximum of 7 kg of food concentrate per day. Approximately 100 cows were subjected to one or other of these two treatments. Although the cows in the first treatment consumed approximately 3·5 kg of concentrate per day and those in the second treatment approximately 5 kg per day, no significant differences were observed in the numbers of voluntary milkings.