It would be nice to have a crystal ball to predict what 2010 will bring for the dairy industry. After getting through the past several months of high feed costs coupled with low milk prices, there are still feelings of uncertainty and uneasiness on how we will contend with events in the new year. While we can all hope for a year of relief from volatile markets, we certainly cannot expect market stability. Therefore, you should continue to make business decisions with caution.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, a fundamental nutrient required for optimal cow performance and health. While they are the simplest elements of protein, balancing diets for these amino acids is a very complex concept.

In a total mixed ration (TMR) feeding system, forage and concentrate feed components are combined into a single feed mixture. The objective of this feeding method is to deliver to each cow, a well-balanced ration that is formulated to maintain health and maximize milk production. However, despite our best efforts in formulating and delivering the ration to cows there are indications that the composition of what an individual cow consumes is not the same as what was initially delivered.

Dairymen who can adapt to change will reap the rewards of their adaptation by maintaining a healthier business than those that do not adapt. Nutritionists are not exempt to this rule. If your nutritionist is not changing with the times, your business is paying the price.

TRENDING TOPIC ARTICLE: NEW TECHNOLOGY This article features California dairyman Bill Van Ryn discussing a Fodder Solutions sprout-growing technology. to jump to the article. Van Ryn estimated his grain costs for shipping at $500 a ton. He can grow a ton of supplemental feed using the sprout-growing system for $128. We noticed the Facebook group Raw Milk posted a link to this article in August 2012 with the comment: "Now this actually makes some sense: Instead of feeding cows grain, sprout the grain and feed them the grasses from those grains." While that could explain some recent pageviews, this article received more than 1,500 views since it was published in 2009. Because this article was so popular, we asked Curt Chittock of Simply Country, Inc., the licensed agent for Fodder Solutions, to provide an update.

Production of high-quality corn silage depends on many factors – ranging from optimum growing conditions to ideal moisture levels at harvest to proper packing in the storage structure. However, one factor that dairy producers often overlook is selecting the appropriate hybrid for corn silage production.

Without a doubt the single-most unique aspect of dairy cow nutrition is that it must focus on a complex and multi-chambered digestive system.

As producers, nutritionists and veterinarians, we are used to seeing molds on the farm. Molds are ubiquitous in the environment and it has been well documented that some of these molds have the ability to produce poisons known as mycotoxins.

A “fall slump” in milk production is a common occurrence on many dairy farms. It is characterized by some or all of the following: a moderate to large decrease in milk production, a decrease in intake, loose manure and cycling intakes.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) continue to be a hot topic in dairy cattle nutrition as new research, on-farm trials and meetings provide additional information to the industry on how critical EFAs are for the dairy cow.