Comparative assessment of feed preparation technologies for Ukrainian breeds of dairy cows

Abstract

The analysis of variance of the breed's influence on the milk yield in the farms has established that there is no difference between the milk yields of Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed and Ukrainian red-and-white dairy breed. Influence of breed on milk yields was not significant (P>0.05). Therefore, an assessment of feeding technologies and development of a model for prediction of milk yield were carried out without taking into account the breeds. Average duration of working action, called "feed unloading from the shovel", amounts 6.82±0.43 s without weighing and 14.94±3.61 s with weighing during loading. The measure of influence of the feed unloading type on the duration of that working action η²=0.217 (P<0.001). Coefficient of correlation between number of forage in feed mixture and: total number of working actions of feeder in cycle of feed preparation amounted 0.58 (P<0.01); specific number of working actions of feeder for service 1 cow in cycles of preparing of feeds was 0.41 (P<0.05); expenses of forage loader for servicing 1 cow in cycles of forages loading equaled 0.60 (P<0.05). The mechanisms of influence of ergonomic components' characteristics of preparation, delivery and distribution of feeds on behavior, milk productivity, labor productivity and efficiency of different technological processes were found and formalized. The model of evaluation of expected milk yields at the farm on base of feeding technology characteristics was developed. The model includes the variables: method of feeding of different forms of forages (total mixed / mixed + separately / separately), number of forage types in ration and method of dosage. The model describes 83% of variation of milk yields significantly (P<0.01). Ceteris paribus, the farms, which apply feeding a total mixed rations ad libitum, are capable to get milk yields on 1581-2585 kg higher than farms, which realize feeding technology less rationally.