---

The article presents the results of the analysis of labor operations carried out in the process of mechanized distribution and feeding of feed mixtures in free housing of animals The article presents the results of the analysis of labor operations carried out in the process of mechanized distribution and feeding of feed mixtures in free housing of animals The article presents the results of the analysis of labor operations carried out in the process of mechanized distribution and feeding of feed mixtures in free housing of animals, free housing. When comparing the above manual methods of pusher feed mixtures, it was established that when using a shovel for 100 cows at a time, 5.01 minutes of working time were spent, when using forks – 8.12 minutes, and when using a hand scraper – only 2.12 minutes. In modern complexes, the fastest way to hill feed is with a tractor. This takes 1.02 minutes per 100 cows. The “Butler Gold” robot works much more slowly. It takes 4.96 minutes for this operation.

It was found that the feeding behavior of dairy cows depended on feeding management factors, including the frequency of feed distribution and its pusher. The activation of the feeding behavior of animals was characterized by an increase in the number of animals near the feed table when performing the technological operations of feed distribution and pushing (moving feed to the animal on the feeding table). Performing the technological operation of distributing feed mixtures twice a day led to an increase in the number of cows near the feed table by 20.9 % – 22.0 % of the total number of animals in the pen (126±5.2 heads). Performing the technological operation of pusher feed also led to an increase in the number of cows near the feed table by 2.3 % – 11.3 % of the total number of animals in the group. The remains of feed removed beyond the border of the feed table were perceived by the animals as fresh bedding for rest, which led to a reduction in the total feeding front.

 

References

Bach, A.,  Terré, M.,  & Vidal, M. (2020). Symposium review: Decomposing efficiency of milk production and maximizing profit. Journal of Dairy Science. 103 (6), 5709-5725. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17304.

Bava, L.,  Sandrucci, A.,  Zucali, M.,  Guerci, M.,  & Tamburini, A.  (2014). How can farming intensification affect the environmental impact of milk production? Journal of Dairy Science. 97 (7), 4579-4593. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2013-7530.

Bewley,  J. M. (2016). Opportunities for monitoring and improving animal welfare using precision dairy monitoring technologies. Journal of Animal Science. 94 (2),  11.  https://doi.org/10.2527/msasas2016-023.

Bondar A. A. (1989). Metodychni rekomendatsii po vyvchenniu i vykorystanniu pokaznykiv povedinky molochnoho stada dlia udoskonalennia tekhnolohii utrymannia  [Methodological recommendations for the study and use of dairy herd behavior indicators to improve husbandry technology]. Instytut tvarynnytstva. 31.

Britt, J. H.,  Cushman, R. A.,  Dechow C. D.,  Dobson H.,  Humblot P.,  Hutjens M. F.,  Jones G. A.,  Ruegg, P. S.,  Sheldon, I. M.,  & Stevenson, J. S. (2018). Invited review: Learning from the future – A vision for dairy farms and cows in 2067. Journal of Dairy Science. 101 (5), 3722-3741. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-14025.

Deming, J. A., Bergeron, R., Leslie, K. E., & DeVries, T. J. (2013). Associations of cowlevel factors, frequency of feed delivery, and standing and lying behaviour of dairy cows milked in an automatic system. Canadian Journal of Animal Science. Vol. 93. P. 427–433. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjas2013-055.

DeVries, T. J., &  von Keyserlingk, M. A. G. (2005). Time of feed delivery affects the feeding and lying patterns of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 88, 625–631. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(05)72726-0.

Eastwood C. R., Jago J., Edwards J., Burke J. (2015). Getting the most out of advanced farm management technologies: Roles of technology suppliers and dairy industry organisations in supporting precision dairy farmers. Animal Production Science. 56 (10), 1752-1760. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN141015.

Edwards P., Dela Rue B. T., & Jago J.G. (2014). Evaluating rates of technology adoption and milking practices on New Zealand dairy farms. Animal Production Science. 55 (6). 702–709. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN14065.

Ericksona, Peter S., Kalscheur, & Kenneth F. (2020). Nutrition and feeding of dairy cattle. Animal Agriculture.  157–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12- 817052-6.00009-4.

Gargiulo, J. I., Eastwood, C. R., Garcia, S. C., & Lyons, N. A. (2018). Dairy farmers with larger herd sizes adopt more precision dairy technologies. Journal of Dairy Science. 101(6), 5466–5473. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13324.

Gaworski, M. (2021). Implementation of Technical and Technological Progress in Dairy Production. Processes. 9(12), 2103. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9122103.

Greben L. G., (2009). Tekhnolohichni pidkhody do udoskonalennia zghodovuvannia kormosumishei na kormovykh stolakh [Technological approaches to improving the feeding of mixed feed on feed tables]. Naukovo-tekhnichnyi biuleten Instytutu tvarynnytstva NAAN – Scientific and Technical Bulletin of the Institute of Animal Science of the National Academy of Agrarian Science of Ukraine. 100, 211–215. Available at: https://lfi-naas.org.ua/100-2009/.

Huzzey, J. M., DeVries, T. J., Valois, P., & von Keyserlingk, M. A.G. (2006). Stocking density and feed barrier design affect the feeding and social behavior of dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science. 89 (1), 126–33. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72075-6.

John, A. J., Clark, C. E. F., Freeman, M. J., Kerrisk, K. L., Garcia, S. C., & Halachmi, I. (2016). Review: Milking robot utilization, a successful precision livestock farming evolution. Animal. 10 (9), 1484–1492. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731116000495.

Khanal, A.R., Gillespie, J., & MacDonald, J. (2010). Adoption of technology, management practices, and production systems in US milk production. Journal of Dairy Science. 93 (12), 6012–6022. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2010-3425.

King, M. T. M., Crossley, R. E., &  DeVries, T. J. (2016). Impact of timing of feed delivery on the behavior and productivity of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 99 (2), 1471–1482. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2015-9790.

Krawczel, P. D.,  Klaiber, L. B., Butzler, R. E., Klaiber, L. M., Dann, H. M., Mooney, C. S., & Grant, R. J. (2012). Short-term increases in stocking density affect the lying and social behavior, but not the productivity, of lactating Holstein dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 95 (8), 4298–4308. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2011-4687.

Lobeck-Luchterhand, K. M., Silva, P. R. B., Chebel, R. C., & Endres, M. I. (2015).  Effect of stocking density on social, feeding, and lying behavior of prepartum dairy animals. Journal of Dairy Science. 98 (1), 240–249. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2014-8492.

Martins L. F,  Wasson D. E,  & Hristov A. N. (2022). Feeding dairy cows for improved metabolism and health. Animal Frontiers. 12(5), 29–36. https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfac059.

Mattachini, G., Pompe, J., Finzi, A., Tullo, E., Riva, E., & Provolo, G. (2019). Effects of Feeding Frequency on the Lying Behavior of Dairy Cows in a Loose Housing with Automatic Feeding and Milking System. Animals. 9 (4), 121. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9040121.

Olofsson, J. (1999). Competition for total mixed diets fed for ad libitum intake using one or four cows per feeding station. Journal of Dairy Science. 82 (1), 69–79. https://doi.org/ 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(99)75210-0.

Pulina, G.,  Tondo, A.,  Danieli, P. P.,  Primi, R.,  Crovetto, G. M.,  Fantini, A.,  Macciotta, N. P. P., & Atzori, A. S. (2020). How to manage cows yielding 20,000 kg of milk: Technical challenges and environmental implications. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 19 (1),  865-879. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2020.1805370.

Reyes, F. S., White, H. M., Weigel, K. A., & van Os, J. M. C. (2024). Behavioral consistency of competitive behaviors and feeding patterns in lactating dairy cows across stocking densities at the feed bunk. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 11. https://doi.org/ 10.3389/fvets.2024.1302573.

Romaniuk, W., Mazur, K., Borek, K., Borusiewicz, A., Wardal, W. J.,Tabor, S., & Kuboń, M. (2021). Biomass energy technologies from innovative dairy farming systems. Processes, 9 (2), 335. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9020335.

Skevas, T.,  & Cabrera, V. E.  (2020). Measuring farmers’ dynamic technical and udder health management inefficiencies: The case of Wisconsin dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science. 103 (12), 12117-12127. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18656.

Sova, A. D.,  LeBlanc, S. J., McBride, B. W., & DeVries T. J. (2013). Associations between herd-level feeding management practices, feed sorting, and milk production in freestall dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science. 96, 4759–4770. http://dx.doi.org/  10.3168/jds.2013-6679.

Wang, F. X., Shao, D. F., Li, S. L., Wang, Y. J., Azarfar A., & Cao, Z. J. (2016). Effects of stocking density on behavior, productivity, and comfort indices of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 99, 3709–3717. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2015-10098.

Watters, M.  E.  A.,  Meijer, K.  M.,  Barkema, H. W.,  Leslie, K. E.,  von Keyserlingk, M. A. G. ,  &  Devries, T. J. (2013). Associations of herd- and cow-level factors, cow lying behavior, and risk of elevated somatic cell count in free-stall housed lactating dairy cows. Preventive Veterinary Medicine.111 (3-4), 245-255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2013.05.015.