How important to YOU and to Your Cows is their feed space dimensions? This is not theoretical feed space, this is actual physically used feed space. Cows are herd animals, and it does not matter what type of system you are in, there should be enough feed space for every single animal in the herd to be able to eat all at once.

Have you noticed that when there is new feed available, they all want to eat, it is not just because they are hungry it is because the rest of the herd is there and they want to as well, because they feel safety in numbers.

If there is not the space, animals fight competing for the opportunity to eat. The heifers and timid cows will be unable to eat and this will cause drops in quantity and quality of production as they end up a partially sorted diet.

However, another factor to consider are your chances of getting a cow incalf. I recently learned at my CowSignals Fertility Signals module training, of research done in 2006.

At 150 days in milk, for animals that had one feed space per cow, at the correct width requirement, 70% of the cows were incalf. However, at 150 days in milk, for animals that only had half a feed space per cow, compared to the correct width requirement, only 35% of the cows were incalf.

There is a direct correlation between feeding space and pregnancy rate!

Ultimately as dairy farmers, our ultimate goal is about getting cows back in calf again so they can have another calf and therefore another lactation for us. We want lower replacement rates.

Now tell me how important to you are the feed space requirements of the cows in your herd?

As a guide the requirements for an average milking black & white cow, so 650kg, is 75cm (30 inches), and for a dry cow 85cm (34 inches).

For more information about feed space, and any other CowSignals® information or training then speak to CowSignals® Master Andrew Jones, by requesting a call back at andrewjones@dblbuyinggroup.co.uk about your own individual requirements. I can offer cost effective practical training on site for your farm team (not just the herdsperson) on different aspects of livestock behaviour and technical management. Some of these solutions will be small cost with big returns.