The work in Iraq is in many ways like the work anywhere else.

Milk harvesting accounts for almost half of the electricity used on dairies, but fine-tuning an operation offers ways to trim energy costs, a South Dakota State University specialist said.

The abomasum normally lies on the floor of the abdomen, but can become filled with gas and rise to the top of the abdomen when it is said to be ‘displaced’.

As we tackle the concept of whole-farm nutrient management in this issue it really comes to light how dairy producers today must perform an incredible balancing act throughout their entire operation.

Adaptability and flexibility are key in this manure management option Although the current economy has people wondering what the future of dairying will look like, one company has recently developed a system it feels will help the industry productively deal with manure management issues in the years to come. In fact, with dairies already using this new process, these innovations are available today.

Water is essential to every dairy operation. It is required by cows and crops and also used in many daily farm tasks. However, when excreted in manure it quickly becomes a nuisance, especially in wet, humid climates.

The development of a whole-farm nutrient balance is the concept that involves balancing the amount of nutrient inputs across an entire operation (fertilizer, animals and feed) and comparing it to the nutrients leaving the operation (milk, meat, crops and manure). This concept applies to all operations, both large and small. In order to comply with regulatory nutrient management plan requirements, larger operations must demonstrate that manure will be handled and applied on an agronomic basis and the operation is designed for a whole-farm balance. For smaller operations that do not have as strict regulatory requirements, efficiently minimizing excess inputs while utilizing manure nutrients is essential for sustainability.

The concept of whole-farm nutrient management can be easily described as the “active process of making decisions related to nutrients imported (feed and fertilizer) to a farm and those nutrients exported (milk, animals and manure) or lost via air or water.” For many dairies, more nutrients are imported in feed than are exported in milk. Only about 1/4 to 1/3 of the nitrogen and phosphorus a cow consumes is captured in milk. Over time this has resulted in an excess of nitrogen and phosphorus in soil.

The concept of whole-farm nutrient management can be easily described as the “active process of making decisions related to nutrients imported (feed and fertilizer) to a farm and those nutrients exported (milk, animals and manure) or lost via air or water.”

We farm on the Saanich Peninsula on southern Vancouver Island, with 200 head of Holsteins and their youngstock. They are housed year- round in freestalls with sawdust and scraped with alley scrapers into a lagoon with six months’ capacity.