Researchers at Michigan State University
(Dado and Allen, 1994) observed that
higher producing, older cows consumed
more feed, ate larger meals more quickly,
ruminated longer and more efficiently, and
drank more water than lower producing,
younger cows. To achieve this intensity of
feeding behaviour, the cow’s environment
must be such that it ensures cow comfort,
non-disrupted feeding activity and normal
social behaviour. Intense feeding behaviour
results in maximum dry matter intake,
optimal milk production and reproduction,
and improved herd health (Grant and
Albright, 1997). This chapter will focus
especially on social dominance and com-
petition for feed, grouping strategies that
influence feeding behaviour, feeding
system design, and feed attributes such as
palatability that influence feed preference
and intake. Dry matter intake is the major
factor that influences milk production and
change in body condition score during
lactation. Promoting intense feeding
behaviour to maximize feed intake will be
a central theme of this chapter.
Feeding Behaviour and Feed Intake
Daily feed intake comprises the number of
meals consumed daily, the length of each
meal and the rate of eating. By adjusting
the number of daily meals and the average
meal size (length rate of eating), the
ruminant animal can adjust daily dry
matter intake. High-producing dairy cows
allowed continuous access to totally mixed
rations (TMR) ate 9–14 meals day^1 , while
lower-producing cows consumed only 7–9
meals daily (Grant and Albright, 1995).
Even though the definition of what consti-
tuted a meal differed substantially among
researchers, the eating patterns of high-pro-
ducing cows differ considerably from those
of lower producing cows.
Feedlot cattle spend approximately
6–10% of their day eating, seemingly less
with higher concentrate diets, and they are
relatively unaffected by temperature or
time of year (Hicks et al., 1989).
Additionally, cattle appear to eat more
rapidly with fewer meals as they become
heavier and their feed intake declines.
Typically, feedlot cattle have three major
periods of feeding activity, closely
associated with sunrise, sunset and the
middle of the night. In general, beef and
dairy cattle are crepuscular or, in other
words, they are most active at sunrise and
sunset (Albright, 1993, 1997).
Although not a focus of this chapter, it
is interesting to note that pigs housed in
groups ate more quickly, had higher feed
intake per meal, but less meals per day,
less eating time per day and a lower daily
feed intake than pigs penned individually
(de Haer and Merks, 1992). Typically, two
peaks of feeding activity occurred during
the day, especially in group housing: one
in the morning and one in the beginning of
the afternoon. With pigs, a distinction can
be made between meals which contribute a
major portion of the daily feed consump-
tion and meals of minor importance (de
Haer and Merks, 1992). In group housing
systems, 69% of the daily meals accounted
for 87% of daily feed intake and 83% of
daily feeding time. In individual housing,
39% of meals accounted for 90% of daily
feed intake and 79% of feeding time.Feeding behaviour in
non-competitive environmentsIn the specific case of lactating dairy cattle,
understanding how to optimize feeding
behaviour within a given feeding and
grouping environment will be crucial to
making profitable dairy management
recommendations. Albright (1993) exten-
sively reviewed feeding behaviour for
competitive and non-competitive feeding
situations. Research summarized indicated
that dairy cattle will spend between 248
and 392 min day^1 eating, 464 to 579 min
day^1 ruminating and have 10–17 rumina-
tion bouts day^1. Meals were consumed
most frequently at the beginning and the
end of the daylight period. Housing
appeared to have an effect on feeding
behaviour. Cows in box stalls fed hay spent
6 h eating and 8 h ruminating daily, whereas366 R.J. Grant and J.L. Albright