Effects of reducing access to food on intake and feeding behaviour of loose-housed dry Charolais cows

The food intake and feeding behaviour of four groups of loose-housed dry Ch arolais cows offered hay ad libitum were compared according to the number o f mangers available for the group (one or two cows per manger) and to the c omposition of the group. Two groups had six dry cows (trial 1) and were con sidered as homogeneous according to nutritional requirements. Two groups ha d three dry and three lactating cows (trial 2) and were considered as heter ogeneous according to nutritional requirements. In trial 1, the intake, the eating duration, the number of long meals and the synchronisation of the e ating activity decreased with competition for food. In trial 2, dry cows in creased their intake with competition by 1.2 kg DM.d(-1).