Effect on Heifer Feeding Preference of Adding Flavor or Pelleting a Dairy Meal

Abstract

Operant conditioning procedures were used to evaluate animal preferences among commercial dairy meals and pellets (crumbles) with and without added flavoring agent Firanor-36, and each of these feeds was compared with barley. Five nulliparous Friesian or Friesian: Jersey cross yearling heifers were experimental subjects. Concurrent, variable-interval 90-s schedules allowed heifer access to each of the paired feeds once every 90 s average. Daily sessions were for 20 min, and an average feed comparison trial was 19 days. Preference ranking of feeds based on response proportions (left plate: total) was barley > plain crumbles > flavored crumbles > plain meal > flavored meal. Pellets were preferred over ground meal. Little preference was evident between barley and pelleted meals. © 1983, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.