Dairy steers contribute 15 to 20 percent of the fed beef market in the U.S. The economic variables that affect profitability of feeding Holstein steers from 6 months old to finish are similar to those of feeding beef cattle.

Cull cows are a part of every dairy, and knowing how to handle cull cows can make a big difference to the bottom line of a dairy.

In intensive dairy production, feed costs represent up to 60 percent of the total cost of producing milk. Continuous improvement in dairy efficiency is vital to the success of the dairy enterprise. Reliable and rapid feed analyses are therefore required to accurately assess the availability of energy and nutrients of feeds.

Forage will always be an important and key point of dairy nutrition. With constant fluctuation in forage quality crop-to-crop and year-to-year, it can be perplexing to try to determine how cows will respond. As a supporting consultant working with thousands of dairy consultants, three key questions continue to re-emerge relating to forage quality and change.

Increasing nitrogen efficiency and income over feed costs (IOFC) represent goals nutritionists and dairymen alike strive for. In April 2015, the cost of metabolizable protein was $0.64 per pound for the Midwest U.S. For a cow producing 80 pounds of milk at 3.1 percent milk protein, this represents a nutrient cost of $3.59 per day. The question of whether protein supplementation can be reduced or optimized to improve IOFC should routinely be considered.

The science of dairy cattle protein intakes and the subsequent milk protein production has evolved significantly since amino acid balancing became an important nutrition strategy on dairy farms. While the industry has come a long way, current and future research in this field will further advance its effectiveness in putting high-value components and pounds of milk in the bulk tank.

As a dairy producer, it’s important to know what is happening in your dairy’s nutrition program. Common questions related to amino acid balancing include the following.