Acceptance of flavored concentrate premixes by young ruminants following a short-term exposure.

Three cafeteria feeding design experiments were conducted to test whether young ruminants have flavor preferences. Experiment 1 was with 11 Dorset × Suffolk weaned lambs of both sexes, aged 5 mo and averaging 47.5 (standard deviation = 5.8) kg of body weight. The lambs were offered a choice of 5 flavored concentrate premixes (FCP) and an unflavored control for 5 min 4 times over 10 d. The FCP were prepared by mixing 200 to 300 g/t (as-is basis) of synthetic flavors (vanilla, milky, spicy/fenugreek, red summer fruits, and molasses) into a basal diet. The unflavored control and the milky flavor were consumed in greater amounts than all other flavors at 83.9 and 65.8 g/test, respectively. The consumption rate of FCP (g/min) was similar among treatments. Lambs spent more time consuming the milky flavor and the control at 123 and 144 s/test, respectively, compared with all other FCP (average of 65 s/test). In experiment 2, 12 weaned female Holstein Friesian calves (56-68 d of age) averaging 75.8 kg (standard deviation = 8.45) of body weight were offered a choice of 4 FCP (vanilla, milky, spicy/fenugreek, and red summer fruits) at an inclusion rate of 150 to 200 g/t (as-is basis) and the unflavored control for 5 min 4 times over 10 d. The average consumption rate was 27.8 g/min, and there were no differences among FCP. In experiment 3, a choice of 4 FCP with 2 different flavor combinations (vanilla-fenugreek and milky-vanilla) included at 75 g/t (as-is basis; low) or 150 g/t (high) was offered to a total of 12 weaned female Holstein Friesian calves (47-62 d of age) with an average body weight of 65.3 kg (standard deviation = 7.91). The FCP were offered daily for 14 d for 30 to 60 min/d. Vanilla-fenugreek (low) was consumed less at 57.5 g/test per calf compared with the other FCP (average of 87.5 g/test per calf). There were no other differences among FCP in experiment 3. Overall, compared with the control, flavors used in the present experiments did not affect feed intake of weaned lambs and calves. Other factors, such as taste, sight, texture of the feed, effect of the dams as previous experience (via maternal ingestion, which influences neonatal feeding), and their interactions, may also play a role in flavor preferences of young ruminants.

Short communication: Preference for flavored concentrate premixes by dairy cows.

Flavor preferences may be used to stimulate feed intake in dairy cows, which may improve use of robotic milking systems and increase feed intake of sick cows. A cafeteria-design experiment was used to determine if dairy cows have flavor preferences. Sixteen lactating Holstein cows averaging 197±32d in milk, 1.9±0.8 lactations, 27.8±4.2kg/d of dry matter intake, and 41.5±7.4kg/d of milk yield were involved in the experiment. Cows were offered 7 flavored concentrate premixes (FCP) and 1 control premix. The FCP flavors were anise, fenugreek, honey, orange, thyme, molasses, and vanilla; the absence of flavor, neutral, acted as a control. The inclusion rate of the flavors in FCP was 250 to 300g/t on an as-is basis. Cows were not adapted to the flavors before the experiment. Cows were housed in a tiestall barn and offered, on each day, 4 different FCP (1kg each) in plastic bins placed in front of each cow. The experiment lasted 6 consecutive days. Each FCP was presented to each cow once every 2d, 2h after the morning feeding. Flavors and position of the bins in front of the cows were randomized. As a result, each flavor was presented to each cow 3 times during the experiment, at 3 different bin locations. Each cow had access to the FCP for 5min from the time they started eating. Eating time and amount eaten were recorded. The vanilla and fenugreek FCP were consumed the most, at 408 and 371g/5-min offering, respectively, whereas the orange and anise FCP were consumed the least, at 264 and 239g/5-min offering, respectively. Similarly, cows spent the most time eating the vanilla and fenugreek FCP at 99 and 75 s/offering, respectively, and the least amount of time eating the orange and anise FCP at 49 and 50 s/offering, respectively. We detected an effect of bin position: the 2 center FCP were consumed more than the outer 2 FCP. Flavor had no effect on consumption rate. In conclusion, relative to the control, concentrate intake was not affected by flavor, but dairy cows may prefer vanilla or fenugreek flavors when offered a novel choice.