Cows are choosy. A study by AgResearch PhD student Danni Marotti shows cows produce up to 30 per cent more milk when given a choice of food.
More important, said Ms Marotti, they were far happier than cows restricted to one type of grass.
"Presentation and choice of food affects how much
we eat," she said. "It's the same for cows."
Ms Marotti tested the research in Palmerston North, where she separated grass varieties into different paddocks and left the cows free to choose.
"The cows that had a choice of grass area or clover area ate more and gave up to 30 per cent more milk," she said.
Ms Marotti said the trials found cows were picky, and searched paddocks for their preferred grass.
But the PhD student is not suggesting that farmers introduce cafe society to their cows. She said it would not be practical for many farms to introduce split pastures.
Ms Marotti said more research was needed to find the best ways of giving cows choice in their food.
- NZPA
