Controlling and Recording Feed Intake
BioControl’s CRFI is designed for research centers and the demanding dairy and beef farms that want optimal control and insight of animal feed intake and feeding behaviour. The system is very versatile and can be extended with recording of animal weights and water intake. Single modules of the CRFI-system can also be implemented: only access control gates or only mangers for feed intake recording.
Accurate Measurement of Feed Intake
CRFI gives individual animals access to specified mangers that are placed on weighing cells. The purpose is to record individual feed intake, for example to evaluate the feed conversion ratio.
Animals are identified by neck transponders or ear tags. If the cow is allowed access to a specific manger, the gate opens. When the allowed access time for that period is up, the access gate goes up to push the animal away from the manger so that another animal can get to the gate.
The weight of the manger is measured before and after animal access and the weight difference is transferred to the central computer for analysis.
Tare and calibration procedures are easy at the gate.
CRFI is fit for a
variety of transponders:
- Collar: DeLaval B-type, Westfalia FDX-B, others
- Ear tags: ISO 11784/11785 HDX and FDX-B
CRFI can be supplied with
different manger sizes:
- 100 cm wide
- 120 cm wide
Customized Equipment with Many Possibilities
The manger is placed on a frame and rests on two electronic load cells. By turning the manger it is easy to empty and clean it.
To prevent an animal from pushing out others from the station and stealing a part of the ration, the stations are divided by metal races, or stall dividers that are available for two stall breadths and dimensions.
The complete system for monitoring and controlling the roughage feed intake is also available in a version without the access gate.
It is also possible to add an animal scale to be placed in the concentrate feed station. The animal weight data are then also recorded in the central processor.
We also Offer
- Integration with feed wagons, with sensors detecting feed wagon and automatically setting the CRFI system in filling position. Or direct integration between CRFI and feed wagon systems.
- A lid or bar on the manger to prevent spilling of feed
- Small mangers can be used for calves and other species than cattle: goats, sheep and others.
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CRFI-elements can also be used as 'stand-alone' modules:
- Access control gate without mangers to give individual animals access to different feeds (hi-value ingredients, minerals, etc.)
- Mangers on weighing cells without access gates to measures feed intake, or individual animals' feed conversion ratios.
CRFI PC and Mobile Applications
In BioControl we know how important is data presentation and user-experience. That’s why we created applications both for mobile and PC to present data, show statistics and monitor system and animals health. The BioControl Blackbox, designed and produced by us, is the heart of our system. If the farm PC is down or detached, it will still store and secure your data until the PC is available again.
Read more about our applications:
Video Presentation
Examples of Reseach Made Using BioControl's CRFI System
- Katongole, Constantine & Yan, Tianhai. (2022). The Effects of Dietary Crude Protein Level on Ammonia Emissions from Slurry from Lactating Holstein-Friesian Cows as Measured in Open-Circuit Respiration Chambers. Animals. 12. 1243. 10.3390/ani12101243. [Read More]
- Rosadiuk, Justin & C. Bruinjé, Tony & Moslemipur, Farid & Fischer-Tlustos, Amanda & Ambrose, Divakar & Steele, M.A. & Renaud, David. (2020). Differing planes of pre- and postweaning phase nutrition in Holstein heifers- I. Effects on feed intake, growth efficiency, and metabolic and development indicators. Journal of Dairy Science. 104. 10.3168/jds.2020-18809. [Read More]
- Calamari, Luigi & Petrera, Francesca & Cogrossi, Simone & Stefanini, Luigi. (2009). Feeding behaviour and metabolic condition of dairy cows during early lactation. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 8. 667. [Read More]
- Karlsson, Johanna & Danielsson, Rebecca & Åkerlind, Maria & Holtenius, Kjell. (2022). Full-lactation performance of multiparous dairy cows with differing residual feed intake. PLOS ONE. 17. e0273420. 10.1371/journal.pone.0273420. [Read More]
- Nasrollahi, Sayyed Mahmoud & Meale, Sarah & Morgavi, Diego & Schiphorst, Anne & Robins, Richard & Ortigues-Marty, Isabelle & Cantalapiedra-Hijar, Gonzalo. (2020). The origin of N isotopic discrimination and its relationship with feed efficiency in fattening yearling bulls is diet-dependent. PLOS ONE. 15. e0234344. 10.1371/journal.pone.0234344. [Read More]
- Rachah, Amira & Reksen, Olav & Tafintseva, Valeria & Stehr, Felicia & Rukke, Elling-Olav & Prestløkken, Egil & Martin, Adam & Kohler, Achim & Afseth, Nils. (2021). Exploring Dry-Film FTIR Spectroscopy to Characterize Milk Composition and Subclinical Ketosis throughout a Cow’s Lactation. Foods. 10. 2033. 10.3390/foods10092033. [Read More]
- Alemayehu Kidane i in. “Milk production of Norwegian Red dairy cows on silages presumed either low or optimal in dietary crude protein content”. W: Livestock Science 214 (2018), s. 42–50. issn: 1871-1413. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2018.05.011. [Read More]
- Marchesini, Giorgio & Segato, Severino & Berzaghi, Paolo & Andrighetto, Igino. (2011). Effect of non-forage roughage replacement on feeding behaviour and milk production in dairy cows. Italian Journal of Animal Science. 10. 171-175. 10.4081/ijas.2011.e44. [Read More]
- Guarnido-Lopez, Pablo & Ortigues-Marty, Isabelle & Salis, Lorène & Chantelauze, Céline & Bes, Agathe & Nozière, Pierre & Cantalapiedra-Hijar, Gonzalo. (2022). Protein metabolism, body composition and oxygen consumption in young bulls divergent in residual feed intake offered two contrasting forage-based diets. Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience. 16. 100558. 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100558. [Read More]
- Byskov, Malene & Nadeau, Elisabet & Johansson, B & Nørgaard, Peder. (2015). Variations in automatically recorded rumination time as explained by variations in intake of dietary fractions and milk production, and between-cow variation. Journal of dairy science. 98. 10.3168/jds.2014-8012. [Read More]
- The effects of morning compared with afternoon feed delivery on milk production, feed intake, and feeding behavior in lactating dairy cows. P. D. French*1 and C. S. Shugart2 , 1 PHD R&D LLC, Fort Atkinson, WI, 2 Iowa State University, Ames, IA. [Read More]