RATING OF SELECTED FEEDING STRATEGIES IN DAIRY FARMING

Alternative feeding methods for work cost-effective reasons are discus sed for large dairy farms. Considerable savings in the requirement of labour can occur through the use of mixer-feeder-boxes. The use of mix er-feeder-boxes asks for the change from individual basic ration to to tal-mixed-ration (TMR). For TMR-feeding it is necessary to have either different yield groups or high-yielding herd with a low spreading wid th of milk yield. One possible solution is feeding a complete diet in combination with computerized individual concentrates feeding. As comp ared to the individual basic ration, feed-costs of TMR are somewhat hi gher. The total costs of feeding methods are lowest for the distribute -feeding-wagons, followed by mixer-feeder-boxes. Organiszing the feedi ng not individually but in several farms together allows a further red uction of working hours and in same cases even other cost reduction. T his however, requires a dense net of participating farms with herds as large as possible.