Feeding Behavior of Fattening Bulls Fed Six Times per Day Using an Automatic Feeding System

Effects of Different Hay Feeders, Availability of Roughage on Abnormal Behaviors and Cortisol Circadian Rhythm in Horses Kept in Dry Lots

Free choice forage could be the best option regarding horses' welfare but can lead to increased body weight (BW), and waste of hay. Automatic box feeders (BF) and slow feeders (SF) decrease food waste, but it is unknown how these affect the horses' time-budget (TB). This study compared the effects of feeding free choice hay (FC), to a SF and an automated BF on the horses' cortisol circadian rhythm (CCR) and behavior by 24-hours continuous behavioral sampling (CBS). The study was designed as a 3 × 3 Latin square design with 15 polo horses divided into 3 groups, for 15 days on each treatment. Every 15 days, BW was assessed, blood collected for CCR analysis, the behavior recorded during the last 24 hours of the last day of each treatment and the video analyzed with CBS. Time spent on all behaviors was evaluated and used for the determination of the animals' TB. The effects of the different feeders were analyzed with ANOVA. FC horses consumed and wasted more hay daily (16.6 ± 0.5kg) (P < .001), compared with BF (10.4 ± 0.5 kg), and SF (9.30 ± 0.45 kg). FC horses had higher weight gain (P < .001, 23.5 ± 4.6kg), compared to BF (1.2 ± 5.7 kg) and SF (0.37 ± 4.6) kg. FC and SF horses spent more than 50% of the TB foraging, generating a TB similar to grazing horses. BF horses spent less time eating (P < .001), increasing time spent standing, sniffing the ground, and practicing coprophagy (P < .050). BF horses showed the highest aggression (P < .043). CCR was not different among treatments.

Increased Cattle Feeding Precision from Automatic Feeding Systems: Considerations on Technology Spread and Farm Level Perceived Advantages in Italy

Automation reduces the impact of farming on climate change and helps farmers adapt to its financial impact. Automatic feeding systems (AFSs) increase the ruminant's feeding precision and ease operators' workload. Such systems exist on a spectrum, requiring varied levels of operator support and installation complexity. A recent survey on farmers pointed out that those already running an AFS and those willing to buy one appreciate its ease of use, the resulting animal welfare, and the resulting overall benefits (increased production, farm profitability, and reduced feed waste). Whether technologically complex or not, studies have confirmed the benefits that farmers perceive to be underlying the remarkable reduction in the environmental impact of feeding operations (AFSs are electrically powered), the increase in animal welfare resulting from reduced conflicts around accessing the feed bunk, and the constant availability of fresh feed. However, their introduction should follow accurate and holistic structural and economic planning for existing and newly built facilities. The availability of public subsidies plays an essential role in pushing farmers to adopt the most modern digital technologies, whose benefits may even increase when farmers couple them with interconnected sensors to monitor animals' physiological states.

Assessing the Homogeneity of Forage Mixtures Using an RGB Camera as Exemplified by Cattle Rations

The article examines existing methods for assessing the homogeneity of feed mixes in the feed industry and agriculture. As an alternative to existing approaches, the authors offer a low-cost online technology to assess the homogeneity of feed. The feedstuff under study includes feed mixes for cattle or compound feed consisting of naturally-grown feed (green mass of freshly cut grass, haylage, corn silage, etc.) and concentrated components (grain milling, sunflower, and soybean meal). The proposed method based on an RGB camera, a diode lamp, filters, and software is approved by a preliminary study of the physical properties of feed mix components by Specim IQ hyperspectral camera and revealing characteristics of light absorption of each type of components (concentrated/natural origin). The article presents a method of processing a feed mix image fixed by an RGB camera through light filters using Matlab Image Processing Toolbox tools, namely, a Color Thresholder app and Image Region Analyzer app.

Individual Feed Efficiency Monitoring of Charolaise Candidate Young Bulls in Relation to Feeding Behavior and Self-Performance Test Results

This study evaluated the effect of differences in residual feed intake (RFI) of Charolaise candidate young bulls on feeding behavior and self-performance test results. Bulls were classified into high and low RFI (H-RFI, L-RFI) groups. Bulls were fed in a HOKOFARM system to measure individual animal intake and behavior. L-RFI bulls had significantly lower feed intakes (p = 0.002) and higher gain to feed ratio (p = 0.001), lower intake per day/kg DM (dry matter) (p = 0.002) and lower intake g/body weight/day (p < 0.001). L-RFI animals had lower visits number per day (p = 0.02), but spent longer time per visit (p = 0.02), and tended to have higher intake g/visit (p = 0.06) on feeders. The correlation between RFI and DMI (dry matter intake)/bodyweight/day as well as intake per day/kg were large and positive. Back-loin length and rump length, and moreover muzzle width and frame, showed negative correlations with RFI value. However, bulls with better RFI values associated with lower legs score. Results reveal that RFI was shown beneficial correlations with economically relevant self-performance traits. Further investigations are needed to seek additional indicator traits that are predictive for RFI.

Designing and Simulating the Control Process of a Feed Pusher Robot Used on a Dairy Farm

Feeding cattle on livestock farms is a labor-intensive operation that requires considerable capital investments to purchase equipment and cover labour costs. The global trends in developing technological equipment for feeding cattle include the robotization of various processes. The operation of feed pushing on the feeding table is an integral part of the feeding process, which has a significant impact on livestock productivity. This study concentrates on the simulation modeling of a feed pusher robot using Simulink tools in the Matlab environment to facilitate robot modernization or optimize the final cost for artificial testing of typical system elements and reduce production costs. Based on a simulation model, an experimental sample was designed with a controlled dispenser of feed additives, which can significantly facilitate the feeding process and optimize the dosing of concentrated additives.

Automated Monitoring of Cattle Heat Stress and Its Mitigation

Climate change related global warming is likely to continue, despite all mitigation measures taken by humans, due to the lag effect of long-term anthropogenic activities. Warming of the atmosphere can impact worldwide cattle production directly by compromising health, welfare and productivity, and indirectly by reducing the quality and quantity of animal feed. Under warm thermal conditions, cattle adjust their physiological and behavioural responses as an integral part of thermoregulation to maintain internal body temperature within a safe range. However, a greater intensity and duration of heat exposure can exceed thermoregulatory capacity leading to an increase in internal body temperature beyond the normal limit that ultimately evokes different animal responses to heat. In cattle, response to heat stress can be visually observed as elevated respiration rate or panting, but continuous visual monitoring is labour intensive, time consuming and subjective. Therefore, different weather-based indices have been developed such as the temperature humidity index (THI) and heat load index (HLI) which are commonly used weather-based indices for monitoring cattle heat stress at commercial level. However, the thermal comfort level of cattle based on weather-based indices has limited use at a microclimatic and individual animal level. Varying sensor-based approaches have shown promise to shift the focus of heat stress management to the individual level. Monitoring individual animal response and mitigation strategies for isolated heat-susceptible cattle could save on heat management costs whilst improving animal welfare and productivity. Here we review the technologies that enable automatic, continuous, and real-time cattle heat stress monitoring and mitigation under commercial conditions. Future platforms for autonomous monitoring and mitigation of heat stress in cattle are likely to be based on minimally-invasive smart technologies either singly, or in an integrated system, enabling real-time solutions to animal responses under various production systems and environmental conditions.

Feeding behavior of feedlot-finished crossbred bulls fed palm kernel cake

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of palm kernel cake (PKC) on the feeding behavior of feedlot-finished cattle. Forty uncastrated crossbred bulls with an average age of 24.2 ± 2 months and an average weight of 331.1 ± 36.2 kg were distributed into four treatment groups in a completely randomized design with ten replicates. The treatments consisted of 0, 8, 16, or 24% PKC inclusion in the diet (dry matter basis). Palm kernel cake inclusion influenced feeding time (P < 0.05), which increased linearly. The inclusion of the ingredient also affected (P < 0.05) rumination time (min/day), total chewing time, and the time spent on other activities. The number of cuds ruminated per day showed a linear response to the PKC inclusion levels (P < 0.05). The number of feeding bouts increased linearly (P < 0.05). Dry matter (DM) intake and DM feeding efficiency decreased linearly (P < 0.05). There were no effects of PKC inclusion (P > 0.05) on neutral detergent fiber feeding (NDF) efficiency or DM rumination efficiency. NDF rumination efficiency increased linearly (P < 0.05). Palm kernel cake can be included at levels up to 24% in the total diet of feedlot-finished crossbred bulls, as it does not affect their dry matter intake or feeding behavior.

Large Group Housing Systems in Fattening Bulls-Comparison of Behavior and Performance

According to international housing recommendations, fattening bulls should not be housed in groups of more than 12-20 animals. However, there are no scientific studies supporting these recommendations as most studies on fattening cattle refer to smaller groups. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze and compare behavior and performance of 187 fattening bulls housed in different group sizes of 16, 22, and 33 animals. Behavioral observations were performed during three observation periods at an average age of 8.5, 13, and 17 months. Furthermore, body condition, health status and carcass weights were analyzed. Effects of increasing group size were observed regarding more synchronized lying behavior, longer lying durations and more undisturbed feeding and lying behavior. Interindividual variations in lying and feeding as well as mean and maximum percentages of animals participating simultaneously in interactions did not increase with group size. Health and growth performance were satisfactory in all group sizes. Therefore, the results of this study do not provide scientific evidence for the common argument that increasing group size leads to increased aggression. Furthermore, these findings indicate large group systems to be suitable for the housing of fattening cattle and to contribute to increasing animal welfare. Consequently, current recommendations should be revised.