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Cows speak #9 : Nutrition

Event22/07/2020

Make sure there is enough food available in the middle of summer!

In this farm, the cows graze during the day with a presence in the parking lot at night. Balanced fodder maize is distributed with alfalfa wrapping. On June 24th, there was a 1.5 point loss of protein compared to the beginning of the month. There is also a limited performance. Looking at the curves, we can see that the intake is not stable, and that rumination also varies a lot.

When we look at Time'Live, we see two things:

  • Lots of cows standing in overdrive from 5:30 in the morning.
  • Very little ingestion until distribution at 10 o'clock.

In fact, cows were not ingesting enough rich forage, with a lack of availability in the morning. This nutrient deficiency resulted in lower rates and lower milk in the short term.

It is difficult to quantify this nutrient deficiency, with a system without weights and a share of pasture.

Monitoring animal behaviour helps to adjust rations and to reach optimal performances.