Many farmers apply TMR feeding (Total Mixed Ration). TMR feeding means that all cows are fed the same ration at the feed fence. A very common way to feed cows within a robotic milking system is by applying a Partly Mixed Ration (PMR). PMR feeding is based on the principle: "Feed all cows a lower general ration at the feed bunk and add an individual portion in the robot based on the milk production of each cow". A well balanced individual ration ensures improved health as well as lower feed costs, even if more expensive pellet concentrates are used. This leads to the most optimal economic farm results.

The TMR (flat) feeding strategy is not an option on a robotic farm. Concentrates need to be fed in the robot to attract cows to the robot. Lely has learned that optimal cow visits are generated if the amount of concentrates varies between 2 and 8 kg/cow/day, depending on the milk yield. If farmers do not apply this strategy, the number of voluntary cow visits to the robot will be lower than 2.5 most of the time and therefore suboptimal for labor reduction and profitable farm performance. TMR feeding is applied by farmers because they have the impression that the feed costs will increase if pellet concentrates are supplied in the robot.

Study by Lely Industries
The last twelve weeks, Bernadette van Adrichem of Hogeschool HAS (Agricultural college) Den Bosch, has conducted literature research - in Canada and Germany - into the effect of PMR and TMR feeding on feed costs, robotic visiting behavior and intake of concentrates and roughage. As explained before, TMR stands for Total Mixed Ration and this means that all cows are fed the same ration at the feed fence. PMR stands for Partly Mixed Ration. If PMR feeding is applied, the cows get a basic ration at the feed fence with additional concentrates per individual cow (supplied in the robot).

It can be concluded that applying the PMR feeding strategy may lead to savings of 1.67 Euro per 100 kg milk in Germany and 1.51 Dollar per 100 kg milk in Canada. Cows on a PMR ration are fed according to their requirements and therefore the animals will be healthier while in addition the total consumption of concentrate products will also be lower. This research has shown that even in countries with high price differences between pellets and loose feed components, PMR feeding is still profitable!