Effect of Prepartum Exercise on Feed Intake and Milk Production of Multiparous Cows

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Whether forced exercise of multiparous cows during the last 7 wk of gestation would increase feed intake and milk production after parturition was studied. Cows were housed loose in a corral with free stalls. Exercise treatments consisted of control (not forced exercise); 3.22 km at 3.54 km/h; 9.66 km at 3.54 km/h; and 3.22 km at 5.47 km/h. Cows were exercised 5 days/wk up to parturition. Feed intake was measured during the exercise period. Feed intake, milk production and milk composition were determined for 70 days postpartum. Forced exercise of multiparous cows did not affect pre- or postpartum feed intake, postpartum milk production, percentage of protein or percentage of solids-not-fat; it decreased percentage of butterfat. There were no differences in final prepartum body weight among the 3 exercise treatments, but unexercised cows were heavier at parturition than exercised cows. Further research is needed to determine whether different combinations of distance, rate or duration of exercise will stimulate feed intake and milk production.
Keywords

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: