feed after about 14 min, and left the feed
manger. This observation reinforces the
importance of the observations of Menzi
and Chase (1994) who noted a spike in
feeding activity when feed was pushed up
within easy reach of the cows.
When accumulated pressure distribu-
tion was analysed, the pressure on the feed
barrier was >500 N for about 76 s, which
could be harmful in the long term (Hansen
and Pallesen, 1998). A pressure >1000 N
lasted for 43 s, which can cause acute tissue
trauma. The highest pressure was recorded
when cows reached straight for the feed.
The effect was more pronounced as manger
width increased, and feed could be pushed
more easily beyond the reach of the cows.
Hansen and Pallesen (1998) also
evaluated the angle of the feed barrier,
either vertical or with a 20° slope outward.
The sloping feed barrier increased the
cow’s reach and reduced pressures exerted
on the barrier by the cow. There was a
98.7% probability that pressure >500 N
would be placed on the feed barrier when
vertical versus tilted out at the 20° angle.
This research indicated that cows willingly
will place pressures of >2000 N against a
feed barrier to reach as much feed as
possible. At this amount of pressure, injury
can easily occur, therefore feed should
always be within reach of the cow (pushed
up as needed). Mounting self-locking
stanchions in a 20° sloped position
increases the cow’s reach by 0.14 m, with
no increase in pressure, and enables a
wider feeding area in front of the cow.
Sloping a feed barrier can result in a
maximum reach that is up to 25% greater
than that obtained with a vertical feed
barrier.
Palatability and Taste Preferences
Promoting feed intake is a critical element
of most animal management systems. For
example, in the early lactation dairy cow,
any management factor that will stimulate
dry matter intake can result in improved
performance, body condition and health
(Grant and Albright, 1995). Likewise, in the
feedlot, much of the management pro-
gramme is directed toward controlling feed
intake and avoiding situations in which the
cattle ‘go off feed’ (Launchbaugh, 1995).
Palatability and dietary moisture con-
tent influence feed intake. Diets associated
with maximum feed intake for lactating
dairy cattle typically fall within the range
of 50–85% dry matter. Research into the
area of improving dietary palatability is
warranted because of the tremendous need
to promote feed intake in highly produc-
tive animals. Maximum feed intake is
especially critical for the early lactation
dairy cow, and the potential exists to
enhance feed intake by exploiting prefer-
ences for various flavours and perhaps
even odours.Taste preferences and palatabilityExploiting cow preferences for various
flavour additives may enhance feeding
behaviour during the early lactation, transi-
tional period in dairy cattle. Dairy cattle
possess a sense of taste that can change
with the diet (Albright, 1993). For example,
cows eating silages have reduced sensitivity
to sour taste and enhanced sensitivity to
sweet taste (Albright, 1993). An experiment
conducted at the University of Illinois
evaluated dietary flavour additives for the
early lactation dairy cow (Nombekela et al.,
1994). These researchers tested the effects
of various additives on preference ranking
of TMR fed twice daily beginning 8 days
post-partum. In one trial, taste preference
ranking was sweet (sucrose at 15 g kg^1
DM) > control > bitter (urea at 10 g kg^1 ) >
salt (NaCl at 40 g kg^1 ) > sour (HCl at
12.5 g kg^1 ). Cows consumed 12.8% more
dry matter for sweet than for the second
place (control) diet. In trial 2, monosodium
glutamate was preferred equally to a
control diet > molasses > dehydrated
lucerne > anise.
More recently, the same research group
(Murphy et al., 1997) has examined the
effect of dietary variety via sweetening on
feed intake. Diets were: (i) a control TMR
consisting of lucerne haylage, maize silage,378 R.J. Grant and J.L. Albright