Action Item: Overfeeding – 8000 Feed Intake

Technical Services - Technical Guide

This document sets out the step-by-step instructions for correcting overfeeding troughs for Vytelle SENSE™ system utilizing Feed Intake nodes. When utilizing the Feed Intake system, you must ensure that one animal can access feed from the trough at a time. You must also ensure that animals’ ears are going past the neck restriction bars to feed from the trough. Overfeeding can happen for a couple of reasons; this could be caused by bulky feed, too much feed or incorrect placement of neck restriction bars. 

 

Overfeeding can lead to the following issues:

• Missed EID  reads around the feed supply event.

• Old feed building up in the troughs and becoming moldy.

• RTU  load bars not recording weight correctly. Either because of being in overload or in error. 

 

HOW TO CORRECT OVERFEEDING ISSUE

To correct overfeeding you need to identify what is causing the overfeeding. If two or more animals can place their head past the neck restriction bars at the same time, then the neck restriction bars need to be adjusted so only one animal can feed at a time. If the issue is not related to the neck restriction bars, then the following will need to be done:

• Feed less and allow animals to eat down the feed or clean troughs.

• After feeding ensure that feed is pulled away from the animal side of the trough. This is so animals cannot access feed without having to put their heads through the neck restriction bars. 

• When feeding ensure that feed does not go above bolt lines.

 

VYTELLE RECOMMENDED FEEDING GUIDELINES

• Do not feed more than 8-13 animals per trough. (8 bulls, 10 finish weight heifers/steers, 12 calves).

• Feed 2-3 times a day.

• Feed no higher than the bolt line in the trough.

• Ensure animals cannot access feed without putting their head through the neck restriction bars.

• Ensure only one animal can access the feed trough at a time.

• After feeding pull feed away from animal side of the trough 

• When feeding animals under 150 kg (330 lbs.) the troughs require a sub-floor or insert. This allows younger animals to reach the bottom of the trough. This will reduce the capacity of the trough approx. 50 kg (110 lbs.).

 

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

If you have any further questions please contact Vytelle SENSE Technical Support at support@vytelle.com or by calling toll-free from US & Canada: 1-866-689-3477 ext. 1 The team is available Monday to Friday 7:00am to 5:00pm MST (excluding Canadian Statutory Holidays). After hours, please leave a detailed voicemail, email, or trial note and a TSR will respond the next business days.

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