We can monitor individual feed intake and feeding behavior (meal size, meal duration, number of daily meals, etc...)
Red Unit (Research)
Description
Research is the most effective way of fostering change and progress.
Research is a pivotal activity of Blanca.
The Red Unit has invested not only in the finest and advanced technology to conduct research in dairy cattle (i.e., daily measures of individual body weight, milk production, milk components, feed intake, behavior, etc...) but also has links and collaborations with the most pro-active researchers in the area of dairy production.
Partnerships
Blanca has partnered with IRTA (a local research institute) to conduct basic research on nutrition, metabolism, epigenetics, behavior, etc... and it also has solid collaborations (and is seeking for more) with the industry to conduct applied research. The heart of our research activities is improving feed efficiency. With this final objective in mind, we conduct research studies on nutrition, physiology and metabolism, feed additives (enzymes, probiotics, etc...), cow management and comfort, and modulation of gene expression through nutrition (epigenetics).
Fields of research
- Feed efficiency
- Nutrition
- Physiology and metabolism
- Feed additives (enzymes, probiotics, etc...)
- Cow management and comfort
- Modulation of gene expression through nutrition (epigenetics)
Equipment
We can also determine body weight changes on a daily basis (well in fact, on a milking basis -that is twice a day)
We can feed each cow to her specific nutrient requirements in the milking parlor. We can prepare a mixture of up to 6 different ingredients in different amounts (and thus different nutrient profile) for each cow on real time while milking.
This equipment also allows to treat each cow as an experimental unit, as we can apply treatments (typically feed additives) to each animal in the parlor individually.
Last, we can know with high accuracy not only individual milk yield but also milk composition (protein, fat, and lactose) at each milking.
All this coupled with a rigorous data recording and monitoring system makes Blanca an outstanding place to conduct research studies in dairy cattle.
