Even though the Total Mixed Ration (TMR) dominates the feeding systems today, and it is the most widely used system, there is still a significant number of dairies that do not feed Total Mixed Ration. They adopt different feeding systems, like the Partial Mixed Ration (PMR) or the Component feeding in the herds that feed forages and grain/concentrates separately. These herds feed grain in the stanchion barn, in the milking parlor as the cows are being milked or through automatic feeders.
Moreover, with the advent of Automatic Milking System (AMS) or robot milking, it has become essential to be able to correctly manage at least a portion of the grain separately from the base ration that normally consists of PMR.
Automatic milking system (AMS) is being accepted as a viable alternative to milking parlors throughout several world’s regions and its application represents a substantial innovation in the dairy industry.
Among all factors involved, one of the most important in making AMS successful is ration balancing/nutrition management because a completely different approach to feeding is required.
For robotic milking system (RMS) herds, a TMR becomes a PMR, or Partially Mixed Ration, containing all the forage and some of the concentrate is offered in the feed bunk. An additional amount of concentrate is now fed through the milking box; this amount varies according to the cow’s stage of lactation and milk production.
The proper feeding styles is an important step in the RMS herds, where the main goal is to ensure cows are motivated to visit the robot, regardless of barn layout, because the primary motivation for cows to visit the milking box is not because of udder pressure but is her desire and need to eat. In order for a PMR to be effective, it should be balanced for approximately 2 to 6 kg (4 to 12 lbs) of milk under the herd’s bulk-tank average (depending on guided or free flow system design), which will allow for the remaining energy and nutrients to be delivered at the robot.
Greater milking frequency and more uniform milking times resulting from more visits to the milking box increase milk production and animal welfare.
However, it is important to note that every herd is different and ration adjustments can fluctuate based on the herd and the feeding management accomplished, which can include feeding the PMR multiple times per day or pushing up on a regular basis, feeding for low refusals, keeping feeding times and forages consistent, feeding excellent quality forages and cleaning bunks on a regular basis.
These reasons, and the fact that the separate feeding of grain allows producers the opportunity to feed cows according to their level of production and to manage the amount and quality of grain that the cow is consuming, convinced us to develop the NDS – Milk Step Feeding tool.
It is a feature allowing to handle the level of the extra grain being fed according to two possible strategies:
- Milk production: allows you to define a target milk yield and a pre-defined production step;
- Days in milk: allows you to set the target DIM and a related DIM step.