Precision feed restriction improves feed and milk efficiencies and reduces methane emissions of less efficient lactating Holstein cows without impairing their performance

Abstract

A possible driver of feed inefficiency in dairy cows is overconsumption. The objective was therefore to test precision feed restriction as a lever to improve feed efficiency of the least efficient lactating dairy cows. An initial cohort of 68 Holstein lactating cows was monitored from calving to end of ad libitum feeding at 196 ± 16 d in milk, with the last 70 d being used to estimate feed efficiency. For a given expected dry matter (DM) intake (DMI) during ad libitum feeding, offered DMI during restriction was set to observed DMI of the 10% most efficient cows during ad libitum feeding for similar performance. Feed restriction lasted during 92 d, with only the last 70 d being used for data analyses. A single diet was fed during ad libitum and restriction periods, and was based on 64.9% of corn silage and 35.1% of concentrates on a DM basis. Individual DMI, body weight, milk production, milk composition, and body condition score were recorded, as well as methane emissions. Feed efficiency was defined as the repeatable part of the random effect of cow on the intercept in a mixed model predicting DMI with net energy in milk, maintenance and body weight gain and loss within parity, feeding level, and time. Milk energy efficiency was estimated in the same way, predicting net energy in milk instead of DMI. The 15 least efficient cows ate 2.6 kg of DM/d more than the 15 most efficient cows during ad libitum feeding with 2 g/kg of DMI lower methane yield, but similar daily methane emissions. Feed restriction decreased DMI by 2.6 kg of DMI/d for the least efficient cows, which was 1.8 kg of DMI/d more than the most efficient cows, and decreased daily methane emissions by 49.2 g/d for the least efficient cows, which was 22.4 g/d more than the most efficient cows. Feed restriction had no significant effect on milk, body weight, or body weight change. Feed restriction reduced the variability of both milk energy and feed efficiencies, as shown by a decrease of their standard deviation from 0.87 to 0.69 kg of DM/d for feed efficiency and from 1.14 to 0.65 UFL/d for milk energy efficiency. Despite narrow efficiency differences, the most efficient cows during ad libitum feeding remained more efficient during feed restriction (r = 0.46 for feed efficiency and 0.49 for milk energy efficiency). The 2 efficiency groups no longer differed in feed efficiency during precision feed restriction. Precision feed restriction seemed to bring the least efficient cows closer to the most efficient cows and to reduce their methane emissions without impairing their performance.

Prepartum and Postpartum Feed Restrictions Affect Blood Metabolites and Hormones Reducing Colostrum and Milk Yields in Fat-Tailed Dairy Sheep

“…These facts will have a direct impact on the health status and performance of dairy ruminants. Consequently, several studies have been performed to assess the consequences of feed restriction on health and performance in dairy cows [ 14 , 15 ], sheep [ 16 , 17 , 18 ], and goats [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first investigating the effects of feed restriction during both prepartum and postpartum periods on BW, blood metabolites, and hormones as well as colostrum and milk yield and composition in fat-tailed dairy ewes.…”

Invited review: Disentangling residual feed intake—Insights and approaches to make it more fit for purpose in the modern context

“…It is therefore not surprising that data sets with long-term measures of intake, and thus long-term efficiency, are very rare, especially if good resilience measures are also required. However, the burgeoning field of precision livestock technologies, with its promise of automated highfrequency measures, has now developed to the point where not only milk production but also body reserve (weight and condition score) changes (Thorup et al, 2018;Fischer et al, 2020), and more recently intake measures (Lassen et al, 2018), are becoming available as a commercial reality that can be used on sufficient scale to allow phenotyping of large populations of animals for long-term efficiency.…”

The Deviation between Dairy Cow Metabolizable Energy Requirements and Pasture Supply on a Dairy Farm Using Proximal Hyperspectral Sensing

“…Savings of feed should be expected if the genetic merit of cows is considered for the decision of allocating feed individually, as less feed could be potentially allocated to high genetic merit cows without altering milk production. Moreover, recent research by Fischer et al [37] proved that restricting dry matter intake of cows that are less efficient compared to cows that are more efficient in converting feed and milk energy can significantly narrow the differences between cows, suggesting that overconsumption could be a driver of inefficiency and that controlling it could be a suitable strategy for reducing methane emissions without altering productivity of dairy farms.…”