Dairy cattle
Schothorst Feed Research has a modern facility with resting boxes which houses 230 high-yielding dairy cattle in conditions that are in line with practice for dairy cattle-related research. The average age of our dairy-producing livestock is five years, and produces 10,000 kg of milk on average per rolling year with a fat content of 4.30% and a protein content of 3.50%. The facility with lying boxes has been designed in such a way to determine the individual intake of roughage and concentrates of 120 cows. We use the transponder controlled Calan® system with individual access to the feeding troughs. This means that research can be conducted at the level of individual animals in a reliable way.
Schothorst Feed Research conducts the following types of research:
- Feed trials
- Rumen physiological research
- Feed evaluation
- In vitro gas production test
- In situ nylon bag incubation
- In vivo digestibility trials
- Pallatability trials
- Practical research
- Registration trials
Feed Trials
Feed trials determine the effect of the quality of the roughage and concentrate composition and supply and additives on feed absorption, milk production, and milk composition.
Download the fact sheet ‘Feeding experiments for dairy cattle’
Rumen Physiological Research
Rumen physiological research studies the effect of the quality of the roughage and concentrate composition, the supply, and additives on rumen parameters such as pH, volatile fatty acids, ammonia and sustained pH measurement.
Download the fact sheet ‘Rumen physiological studies’
Feed evaluation
Nutritional value assessment is one of the cornerstones of Schothorst Feed Research. We have different methods for assessing the nutritional value of a product: in vitro methods, in situ nylon bag incubation and in vivo trials. This research is focused on determining the nutritional value of concentrated feedstuff, roughage feeds, or wet animal feeds. A nutritional-value assessment is needed to determine E-dairy® (SFR nutritional value).
Pallatability trial
A high level of acceptance of concentrate feeds is essential for high-yielding cattle. Feedstuffs and additives can affect the taste of the concentrates. The immediate acceptance test is used as a basis to evaluate the effect of feedstuff or additives on the uptake of concentrates.
Practical Research
In terms of research on the effects on health and fertility, it is important to monitor the cattle for an extended period of time. Schothorst Feed Research uses working dairy farms for this type of research.
Download the fact sheet ‘Health and fertility’
Registration Trials
In order to establish a registration dossier, trials are needed that indicate whether an additive works effectively and will have no adverse effect on the health of people and animals. Schothorst Feed Research can conduct these trials for you.