Animal Health & Welfare

Feed face length can influence the ease of access to food and the amount of aggression received.

A recent farm-level study by SAC has shown that the design of the barriers used in the feed face have little impact on aggression between cows, although the farms in the study were required to have adequate space to allow all group members to feed simultaneously. At a more restricted space allowance, feed face design is likely to become more important.

The length of the feed face itself was found in this study to be related to condition score, with shorter feed faces being found on farms with cows in poorer condition. When cattle were housed on straw courts, there was evidence of greater aggression at feeding, probably due to the greater synchrony in feeding behaviour. Most of this aggression was directed at heifers. Consideration ought to be given to providing a longer feed face length per animal in straw courts

In summary:

• Cattle courts require longer feed faces than cubicle houses
• A short feed face can affect cow condition
• Heifers are likely to experience the most aggression when the feed face is short

Further information on this project can be found under the link 'Behavioural studies relating to the welfare of intensively managed dairy cows' to the right.