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Trace mineral absorption and use performs an essential role in dairy cow reproduction and hoof health. The trace minerals play critical roles in the proper functioning of enzymes, hormones and cells. Deficiencies can, and often do, result in less-than-optimal performance and lost opportunity cost.
When producing more milk is not a viable option to generate greater income – a common occurrence in quota systems – dairy producers must find alternative ways to make each kilogram of milk produced more valuable.
One proven way to increase milk check profits is by increasing milk fat and protein levels, resulting in greater returns from the same volume of milk.
There are many issues to blame for the sky-high grain and protein prices: weather conditions, economic issues, global grain demands and more.Unfortunately, all of these issues are well beyond the reach of dairy farmers to keep their businesses thriving.
How long will high grain prices last? There is no way to tell, but in the meantime animals still need to be fed and farms need to stay in business.
Each individual piece of the silage management puzzle plays a significant role in the outcome of the overall feed quality for the dairy herd.
From crop variety selection, to packing, to bunker and drive-over pile covering materials, each step has its own set of options and challenges.
As we approach the end of summer and start scraping the bottom of the silo or pit to feed our dairy herd before the 2011 harvest season begins, we may want to consider the quality of that silage.
While last year’s harvest appeared to be cleaner than the previous year’s crop, some producers are finding that after it was all packed and stored away, it wasn’t as safe as it seemed. As the temperature has risen, so have the levels of mold and yeast in our stored feed.
It is remarkable that over the years milk yield per cow per day continues to increase in comparison to a slower rate of increase in dry matter intake. Cows are just fascinating; the efficiency of ruminal fermentation and digestibility of the dietary components are key factors in improving the efficiency of feed we use in modern diets.
Moving cows is an everyday activity that deserves great attention and care. Especially during fragile stages of their life cycle, pen moves can directly impact the dairy cow’s ability to maximize feed intake, which will influence herd milk production and health.
Many areas experienced warmer-than-usual winters and springs. What advice do you have for feed storage this summer when temperatures have already been a bit higher the whole year?
Most feed prices are nearly double historical prices. There is a lot of debate about whether feed prices will ever go back down to historical prices, or how much the prices must go back down and when.
Since the middle of the 20th Century, the U.S. dairy industry has embraced corn silage as the No. 1 most economical and energy-dense forage fed to cows and heifers. Many millions of acres are planted in silage corn every year and many billions of pounds of corn are harvested and put up as silage in horizontal and vertical storage systems.
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