When a short, wet 2019 wheat harvest left dairies struggling with expensive and moldy straw, one farm decided there had to be a better way to feed dry cows than their Goldilocks diet. That challenge sparked an idea that would ultimately set the operation apart by separating corn silage into fodder and fines.

Many feedbunk management factors should be regularly evaluated by farm managers and consultants. The goal is to provide adequate amounts of a uniform ration that all cows can access whenever they access the feedbunk.

While genetics and management components can also factor into improving feed efficiency, there are numerous nutrition and diet strategies that can be readily incorporated into your feed program to make dramatic changes in feed efficiency.

Knowing the numbers and best practices for corn silage harvest can maximize your income over feed cost.

A typical dairy operation manages different animal types (from young heifers to lactating cows), intakes and rations characteristics, resulting in a wide range of feed load sizes.

Most dairy farms feed carefully balanced diets that are formulated to meet the dietary needs of their cows, depending on their age and stage of lactation.

Knowledge of cow biology, feed composition and herd information is vast and ever-expanding. Dairy producers and nutritionists have powerful tools available to balance rations and monitor outcomes for specific groups of animals.