Feed station – precision in feeding

Feeding dairy cattle is one of the most important economic aspects of milk production. With help comes the feed station. This is the place where concentrate feed is inflicted. The system, recognizing a particular animal, dispenses a predetermined amount of feed to it.

How does a feed station work?

Roughage is fed at will, while concentrate feed is fed at feed stations. At the station, the cow is identified and the available feed ration is checked. The ration is determined individually for each cow or according to a programmed feeding schedule that takes into account the day of lactation and productivity. The concentrate feed dispenser controls feed intake and alerts the farmer to a reduction in feed intake, such as due to illness or heat.

Which feed station to choose?

The choice of feed station is an individual matter. It should be adapted to the size of the herd. Stations are a great help in organizing feeding in free stall barns, especially in smaller herds, where division into groups is difficult.

In theory, one feed station should serve 25-30 adults.

In practice, however, things are a little different. Too few feed stations in a large herd can lead to hierarchical fighting and underfeeding by weaker animals.

When choosing a station, pay attention to the equipment, the cost of the investment will depend on this. It is possible to choose, for example, a dispenser of liquid feed and mineral mixtures. Nowadays there are feed stations on the market, thanks to which you can dispense up to four types of feed. This, of course, involves a price, which is higher with such equipment. It is worth thinking about a rubber mat to reduce mechanical damage. Many growers opt for a version with an automatic gate.

The material from which the feed station is made is very important. The most durable, but also the most expensive, will be models made of stainless steel. This will save on operation, as you will need to replace parts much less often.

Advantages of feed stations:

• saving time during feeding
• prevention of metabolic diseases
• optimize the cost of feeding cows
• meeting the individual nutritional needs of each cow
• rumen improvement
• reduction in workload
• improving production efficiency
• cows lower in the herd hierarchy can consume concentrate feed without interference.

What products to inflict on feed stations?

It is possible to dispense several feeds in the station, such as energy and protein feeds. We have in our offer feeds that will successfully work in the feed station.

One of them is Finezja. It is a mixture designed for cows from the start of lactation. Thanks to the exceptionally high concentration of intestinal protein, the right balance of the most valuable essential amino acids and the energy profile of the feed, even the most efficient cows will break their performance records. An additional advantage of Finesia is its high content of processed flaxseed and fatty acids of the Omega 3 family. This supports the maintenance of pregnancy despite high milk production.

Another product is Extra Energy. This is a high-energy concentrate feed to support milk production at the peak of lactation. It contains rumen-protected fats that provide an essential energy source during this period. The unique fatty acid profile helps improve reproduction and maintain high milk yields after peak lactation.

Also worth noting is Agro 19, whose protein-energy balance allows for a balanced, high production of 2.23l of milk from each kilogram of feed.

We encourage you to contact our advisors. They will help you select the right concentrate feed for your feed station.