title: Feeding behavior improves prediction of dairy cow voluntary feed intake but cannot serve as the sole indicator.
abstract: Low-cost feeding-behavior sensors will soon be available for commercial use in dairy farms. The aim of this study was to develop a feed intake model for the individual dairy cow that includes feeding behavior. In a research farm, the individual cows' voluntary feed intake and feeding behavior were monitored at every meal. A feed intake model was developed based on data that exist in commercial modern farms: 'BW,' 'milk yield' and 'days in milking' parameters were applied in this study. At the individual cow level, eating velocity seemed to be correlated with feed intake (R 2=0.93 to 0.94). The eating velocity coefficient varied among individuals, ranging from 150 to 230 g/min per cow. The contribution of feeding behavior (0.28) to the dry matter intake (DMI) model was higher than the contribution of BW (0.20), similar to the contribution of fat-corrected milk (FCM)/BW (0.29) and not as large as the contribution of FCM (0.49). Incorporating feeding behavior into the DMI model improved its accuracy by 1.3 (38%) kg/cow per day. The model is ready to be implemented in commercial farms as soon as companies introduce low-cost feeding-behavior sensors on commercial level.
authors.affiliation: 1The Volcani Centre,The Institute of Agricultural Engineering,PO Box 6,Bet Dagan 50250,Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Halachmi
authors.affiliation: 1The Volcani Centre,The Institute of Agricultural Engineering,PO Box 6,Bet Dagan 50250,Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ben Meir
authors.affiliation: 2The Volcani Centre,Animal Science Institute - Agricultural Research Organization (A.R.O.),PO Box 6,Bet Dagan 50250,Israel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miron
authors.affiliation: 1The Volcani Centre,The Institute of Agricultural Engineering,PO Box 6,Bet Dagan 50250,Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maltz
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D003612:Dairying / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D008954:Models, Biological
keywords: eating speed sensor; individual cow; precision livestock farming