Effect of concentrate moistening on feed intake of dairy cows in an automatic milking system

In automatic milking systems (AMS), the concentrate is commonly supplied in pelleted form due to its higher density and faster ingestion rate. However, this type of feed has a higher cost and lower storage convenience. As an alternative, the use of mash feed is economically advantageous but may result in a low intake rate during milking. Thus, adding water to mash feed can be a potential strategy to shorten feeding time during milking. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding water to mash feed on the intake of dairy cows managed in AMS. The study was conducted at Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, SP, Brazil, during 60 consecutive days. Data from 69 dairy cows (3,99 ± 2,54 years; 149.3 ± 88.3 days in milk) were used. The animals had free access to an AMS (DeLaval VMS™ V300), located (~160 m) around the pasture area. During milking, the system automatically supplied mash feed in the trough, individually adjusted based on milk production data. The experiment was divided into two periods; in the first period (30d), dry mash feed was supplied, while in the second period (30d), the mash feed was offered with the addition of water. Individual intake was automatically recorded by the AMS system as the difference between the amount of feed offered and the amount consumed. As the data did not present normality, comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon test (p<0.05). Cows that consumed mash feed with water showed a higher percentage of intake proportion (91.2 ± 26.6%; p<0.001) compared to the cows that consumed mash feed without water addition (84.4 ± 24.9%). In conclusion, adding water to the mash feed increased feed intake during milking in the automatic system.