FROM THE FARM REPORT: FEED PUSH-UP FREQUENCY: MAINTAINING ACCESS TO DRIVE CONSISTENCY

Feed push-up is a simple management practice, but its impact on cow performance is closely tied to one key factor: keeping feed consistently within reach. As cows eat and sort the ration throughout the day, feed is gradually displaced away from the bunk, creating periods when feed remains present but is no longer accessible. These periods are rarely measured, yet they can influence feeding behavior, intake consistency, and ultimately overall herd performance.

At the herd level, farms that routinely push up feed tend to achieve higher production. In the northeast of Spain (2008), a survey of 47 commercial dairies found that herds with feed push-up averaged 28.9 kg (63.7 lb) of milk per cow per day, compared with 25 kg (55.1 lb) in herds without it. These results reinforce that maintaining feed availability throughout the day is associated with improved productivity.

The primary benefit of increasing push-up frequency is not necessarily an increase in total intake, but an improvement in how and when cows access feed. When feed is consistently within reach, cows can distribute their feeding activity more evenly throughout the day, rather than concentrating intake into short periods. This supports a more stable rumen environment by reducing large fluctuations in fermentable substrate supply and helps minimize competition at the bunk, particularly in group-housed systems.

Feed accessibility also plays an important role in limiting sorting behavior, which has direct implications for milk components. Cows naturally sort against long forage particles and preferentially consume shorter and finer material. As sorting increases, effective fiber intake declines, and the composition of the ration consumed deviates from what was formulated. Research evaluating feeding behavior has shown that milk fat can decrease by 0.10 percentage points for every 10% increase in sorting against long particles (those retained on the 19 mm screen of the Penn State Particle Separator), with milk protein showing a similar response. Maintaining feed within reach throughout the day helps limit sorting and supports more consistent nutrient intake.

Consistent feed access also contributes to more stable daily behavior patterns. When cows do not need to compete for feed or wait for it to be pushed back within reach, time can be more evenly allocated between feeding, ruminating, and resting. This behavioral stability supports overall cow comfort and aligns with management goals aimed at maintaining consistent intake and production.

From a practical standpoint, increasing the frequency of feed push-ups is a low-cost adjustment that can improve feed accessibility throughout the day. In most lactating cow pens, pushing up feed 4 to 6 times per day is generally sufficient to maintain feed within reach, although higher frequencies may be warranted in pens with greater stocking density or more pronounced sorting. The greatest benefits are typically observed in situations where feed is easily displaced from the bunk, stocking density is elevated, or long intervals occur between periods of feed availability.

The timing of push-ups is just as important as frequency. Feed is most likely to become displaced within a few hours after delivery, making the 2 to 4 hours post-feeding period particularly critical. Additional attention during midday, when uneven bunk conditions begin to develop, and later in the evening to maintain access overnight, can help prevent extended periods when feed remains present but unavailable. In practice, evaluating feed access is straightforward. Walking pens later in the day often reveals whether feed is still within reach or if cows are left with a ration that has shifted in physical form due to sorting. When feed is consistently present but out of reach, or when the remaining material appears noticeably more fibrous, push-up frequency is likely limiting effective feed access.

Ultimately, feed push-up should be viewed as a management tool to maintain access rather than simply increase activity at the bunk. When feed remains consistently within reach, cows can consume a ration that more closely reflects the formulation, feeding behavior becomes more evenly distributed, and the effects of sorting are reduced. In practice, ensuring that feed is always within reach throughout the day represents a simple and effective strategy to support more consistent intake, protect milk components, and improve overall feeding efficiency.

— Daniel de Oliveira

doliveira@whminer.com