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While it is well-known that the rumen has a complex microbiome (primarily bacteria and protozoa), the diversity of microorganisms found in the lower gut is less appreciated. However, the maintenance of a well-balanced microbiome in the lower gut may be as important to animal health and feed utilization as is the maintenance of a stable rumen microflora.
With an overall message encouraging farmers to think “outside the (silage) bag,” Silvia Abel-Caines, DVM, Ph.D., staff ruminant nutritionist for Organic Valley, said feeding dairy cows sprout fodder can make sense nutritionally and economically in some situations.
Balancing for amino acids has become a new standard in dairy nutrition. Gone are the days when we created lactating rations with protein ingredients based on crude protein. Today, we know that balancing for metabolizable protein is a more precise, economical and beneficial way to maximize dairy ration effectiveness.
The economic returns from breeding are unique because the genetic gains are permanent and cumulative, and as New Zealand grazing herds have found, efficiency and profitability can both be achieved with a long-term approach focused on the right objectives and performance indicators.
While genetics can deliver greater efficiency and profitability, they are only part of the equation. For animals to express their genetic potential to the fullest, the right environment needs to be created.
“It’s always cheaper to let your cows do the harvesting,” said Laura Paine, grazing broker with Southwest Badger Resource Conservation & Development Council.
In the northern U.S., pasture growth provides forages for only six months, and producing or purchasing hay is often a grazier’s largest expense. In a 2010 study, Paine and other researchers found that pasture cost $14 to $40 a ton, while producing hay costs $70 to $90 per ton, and purchased hay is $90 to $140 a ton – and prices have not gone down.
The dry matter (DM) content of corn silage at harvest will significantly influence the amount of nutrients delivered and the nutrient value. Before deciding on a target DM for corn silage harvest, talk with your nutritionist about your silage goals and feeding strategy.
Transitioning to an automatic milking system can often be challenging in terms of feeding from the start, and feeding may require more time and effort than a conventional system at certain stages.
The automatic milking system is basically a computer feeder that milks cows. If you do not understand, adapt to or believe in this system, your success rate will be limited and you will certainly be frustrated.
The shift from conventional to automatic milking systems is one of the biggest decisions a producer can make. Many questions and concerns that come with this decision relate to the dairy’s feed management. Read on for real robot nutrition experience and the best approach to ensure success before, during and after startup in an automatic milking system.
For herds milked with robotics, the secrets to success may be in the palatability and quality of the pellets fed in the milking station and the consistent delivery of the remainder of the ration.
Jim Salfer discussed how robotic milking dairies are feeding their cows during his presentation at the Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference held this summer in Dubuque, Iowa.
The American Society of Animal Science and the American Dairy Science Association held their joint annual meeting from July 19 through July 24 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Numerous scientific papers on the topic of nutrition were presented and, while many were of interest to our readers, we chose to report on three. In two of these papers, researchers examined the role of dietary starch and its impact on milk production and animal health, and the other dealt with methane production.
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