Precision feeding approaches that tailor nutrition to individual cow needs improve welfare by reducing metabolic disease while maintaining productivity.
Group-fed dairy herds inevitably have some cows over-fed and some under-fed relative to their needs. Over-conditioned cows face metabolic disease risk at calving; under-conditioned cows face immune suppression and reproductive failure. Precision feeding systems that use electronic identification to deliver individualised rations significantly reduce these welfare risks. As technology costs fall, precision feeding will become increasingly accessible to smaller dairy operations.