Above these levels of grain, care must be exercised to assure that the cow stays on- feed and consumes adequate roughage. At high levels the grain mixture should be fed in three or more portions daily and, if possible, should contain high fiber, high energy ingredients such as oats, wheat bran, corn gluten feed, corn and cob meal, soyhulls or beet pulp. Excessive grain feeding, especially when fed separate from forage, increases the risk of acidosis and laminitis. Grain allowances should be divided into at least four daily portions. More feeding intervals reduce disruptive behavior among cows when consuming grain at the feeder.
Dry cows can also benefit from using a computer controlled feeder.
Lead-feeding of cows during the last ten days before freshening can help them adjust to the higher grain levels they will receive following calving. Increasing grain in three or four increments to a maximum of one percent of bodyweight is recommended. Dry cows should receive a separate low calcium, low protein grain mixture rather than the lactation ration. Ration assignments . In herds of 50 or more cows, three or more feeding stations and storage bins will likely be required to provide different rations for cows of high, medium, and low production levels.