摘要
Automated feeding robots (AFR) are increasingly being used on North American dairy farms to reduce dependency on human labor for feeding. These systems mix, deliver, and push up feed to cows at any frequency or interval desired, allowing for more frequent feed delivery than conventional feeding systems (CFS). This observational study investigated differences in ration consistency, milk components, milk fatty acid profile, and cow behavior between herds using AFR and those using CFS. Sixteen commercial dairies with automated milking systems (AMS) in the upper Midwest United States were paired based on herd size and location into eight blocks each consisting of one CFS and one AFR herd. Feed bunk samples were collected at four equally spaced time points for 3 consecutive d and analyzed for coefficient of variation (CV) of nutrient composition and particle size distribution. Bulk tank milk samples were collected 1 ×/d for 3 d and analyzed for fat, protein, milk urea nitrogen (MUN), lactose, and milk fatty acid (FA) profile. Daily AMS visit intervals, milk yield and composition, and rumination time data were collected from AMS software. A linear mixed model tested fixed effects of feeding system, block, and the random effect of day nested within block. The CV of feed bunk DM, ADF, NDF, and lignin was lower in AFR. Bulk tank milk fat, protein, and MUN were not different between AFR or CFS. AFR had a greater proportion of de novo synthesized FA, but no difference in preformed or mixed FA. Herds with AFR had a shorter AMS visit interval with more AMS refusals per day than CFS. Results imply that AFR may be associated with lower daily variation in fiber concentration at the feed bunk, increased mammary de novo fatty acid synthesis, and increased frequency of cow visits to the AMS compared to conventional PMR feeding.
摘要译文
自动化的喂养机器人（AFR）越来越多地用于北美奶牛场，以减少对人工劳动的依赖。这些系统以任何频率或间隔的方式将饲料混合，输送和推动进料，比传统的进食系统（CFS）更频繁地输送饲料。这项观察性研究调查了使用AFR和使用CFS的牛群之间的定量一致性，牛奶成分，牛奶脂肪酸概况以及牛行为的差异。在美国上西部的16个具有自动挤奶系统（AMS）的商业乳制品，根据群的大小和位置成对，分为八个街区，每个街区由一个CFS和一个AFR HERD组成。在四个相等的时间点以3个连续D的d收集饲料铺位样品，并分析营养成分和粒度分布的变异系数（CV）。将散装罐牛奶样品收集1×/d 3 d，并分析脂肪，蛋白质，牛奶尿素氮（MUN），乳糖和牛奶脂肪酸（FA）剖面。每日AMS访问间隔，牛奶产量和成分以及从AMS软件收集的反省时间数据。线性混合模型测试了进食系统的固定效果，块和嵌套在块内的天的随机效应。AFR的Feed Bunk DM，ADF，NDF和木质素的简历较低。AFR或CF之间的散装罐牛奶脂肪，蛋白质和MUN没有差异。AFR在从头合成的FA中的比例更大，但预先形成或混合的FA没有差异。AFR的牛群的AMS访问间隔较短，每天拒绝AMS比CFS多。结果表明，与常规PMR喂养相比，AFR可能与饲料床上纤维浓度的每日变化较低有关，乳酸的乳酸合成率增加以及对AMS的奶牛访问频率的增加。
Kevin Kamau [1];Benjamin Thorpe [2];Katie E. Meier [3];Marcia I. Endres [4];Isaac J. Salfer (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5895-8172) [5];. Comparisons of Feed Bunk Nutrient Consistency, Milk Production and Cow Behavior Between Herds Using Automated Milking Systems With or Without Automated Feeding Robots[J]. Animals, 2025,15(8): 1103