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Over a decade ago, Diamond V introduced a unique, systematic approach to
measuring the operational efficiency of a dairy’s feeding operation. Recently, Sara Sievert, ruminant species marketing manager with Diamond V, had the pleasure to sit down and discuss with Dr. Tom Oelberg, as well as Matt Sattler, another ruminant field tech specialist, about where we’ve come, where we’re at and where we’re going in our journey to feed cows better.
The keystone to any cow-calf producer or stocker operator in the past was having cattle to graze forages. Allowing cattle to graze pastures and crop fields has traditionally been the cheapest way to feed and maintain these animals.
Early in my career, I had a feed store manager tell me, “Only the rich can afford cheap feed.” While he was partially correct, feeding dairy cows does allow us the opportunity to feed a variety of byproducts, based upon their nutrient value. There are a variety of software options that can describe the relative value of byproducts compared to more traditional feedstuffs, such as alfalfa hay, corn silage, corn and soybean meal.
The maintenance factor for steers and replacement females is a constant mathematical formula with several variables. The biggest final question: When am I going to supplement and what will I use?
As temperatures rise starting in April and May, humidity can follow. This combination of temperature and humidity can impact your dairy herd. The temperature-humidity index (THI) is an indicator of when heat stress may occur.
