Introduction;
The impression might be given that feeding should be adjusted according to daily requirements for maintenance and production . However, a cow does not divide nutrients on daily basis for maintenance and production as used in the ration formulation. Her production is much more a reflection of the overall feeding management during her whole life:
– Rearing period: to guide development of production potential within the genetic limitations (selection);
– Productive period: to apply a feeding strategy in order to exploit potential milk production covering a complete lactation period, covering:
.the dry period (the last stage of pregnancy and condition at calving)
. the early lactation (from calving till the end of “peak” yield)
. the mid- and late lactation stage
vThe feeding policy should not be based on a static approach (feeding according to the production on a day-basis), but on a dynamic approach. A lifelong feeding policy based on the exploitation of the genetic production potential or aiming for the maximum economic production is the best approach. It can not be expected that the actual production reflects the feeding level of that specific moment.