The influence of the behavior of cows and the method of feeding a grain mix-ture on their milk productivity
Authors: Hordiichuk N. M. , Hordiichuk L. M. , Salamakha I. Yu. 
Published: December 2023

At the “Pchany-Denkovych” farm of the Stryi district of the Lviv region, the influence of the behavior of Simmental cows and the method of feeding a grain mixture on their quantitative and qualitative composition of milk depending on the level of feeding was studied, as well as the possibility of using ethological assessment as one of the criteria when selecting animals for industrial use. It was established that there was a slight advantage in terms of expenditure on foraging behavior by classes in active and ultraactive individuals in both experimental groups of cows. Thus, animals from the first and second groups of the active class spent the most time on feed consumption, respectively – 21.4 and 22.0 min, which is 20.2 and 19.6 % more than the rate of infrapassive animals (17.8 and 18.4 min). A similar pattern was found in cows and in terms of time spent on water consumption. Thus, cows of the infrapassive classes spent the least amount of time on water consumption, respectively – In the first group – 9.6 minutes, and in the second group – 10.5 minutes. Cows of the active class with a high level of general activity of the first and second groups spent the most time on water consumption, respectively – by 16.3 and 16.6 minutes. The influence of the level of general activity of cows on their milk productivity was established - with an increase in the level of activity, an increase in milk productivity was observed. It was established that the cows belonging to the active class were characterized by the highest milk yield. At the same time, in order to increase the efficiency of the use and assimilation of feed, it is recommended to feed concentrated feed to dairy cows in portions – part of it as part of the feed mixture, and part of it during the milking of the cows. It was established that the cows of the first group with a low level of general activity, which received concentrated feed during milking, were characterized by the lowest milk productivity. Thus, the infrapassive animals of the first group had a 15.1 % (Р < 0.05) lower hope for lactation, compared to the peers of the active class, which were given the feed mixture in portions. In each class, there were also differences in milk productivity depending on feeding Thus, the cows of the second group exceeded their peers from the first group of different classes of ethological activity in terms of milk yield, respectively – by 2.4, 3.9, 2.1, and 2.9 %, given the grain mixture during milking. A little higher the milk productivity of the animals of the second group is associated with better eating of the feed mixture and the content of the percentage of concentrated feed in the recipe. Better consumption of feed mixture by animals contributed to greater consumption of nutrients in the diet, which was reflected in the milk productivity of cows. It was established that the density and acidity of milk of different classes of ethological activity were within normal limits. There are practically no differences in these indicators between groups, and small intergroup fluctuations are statistically improbable.