ORIGINAL PAPER
A dynamic model of feed intake regulation
in dairy cows. Model evaluation
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1
Research Centre Foulum, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences,
Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology,
PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
2
EEA Anguil “Ing Agr. Guillermo Covas”, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria,
P.O. Box 11, 6326 Anguil, La Pampa, Argentina
Publication date: 2004-01-14
Corresponding author
H. Petruzzi
Research Centre Foulum, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences,
Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology,
PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2004;13(1):25-49
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The objective of this work was the evaluation of a feed intake regulation model for dairy cows
described in a previous paper. Sensibility analysis revealed that the model is sensible mainly to those
parameters defining the upper limit of NDF rumen digesta. The level of sensibility varies with the
energy content of the diet evaluated and with the time in the lactation cycle where the sensibility
analysis is done. A total of 17 treatments from a series of experiments were used to compare experimentally observed feed intake and body condition score (BCS) of dairy cows with model predictions
of these variables. Feed intake, either throughout the whole lactation period or as an average for
a certain period of it, is predicted by the model with an acceptable degree of accuracy for most of
the treatments. Typical curves of feed intake are predicted by the model for most of the treatments.
Accuracy of prediction of BCS depends on the treatment being evaluated. However, losses of BCS
are predicted at the beginning of the lactation period followed by a gradual increase in BCS. The
interplay between energy transactions and rumen digesta load constitutes an acceptable framework
on which mechanistic models of feed intake regulation can be developed.
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