Increasing corn prices and lowering milk prices are causing dairy producers to think twice about what they feed their cows this spring.

In the past 30 years, one of the strategies to supply dietary minerals for dairy animals was to cover a high proportion (50 percent or more) of dairy animal requirements with a mineral mix composition with minimal or, in some cases, no consideration of mineral content in the other dietary ingredients (i.e., forages, grains and byproducts).

More milk and components from each kilogram of feed is the basis for the feed efficiency equation. In countries where production caps have not been set, this idea resonates well since maximized production most often translates to additional revenue for the dairy.

With rising commodity costs, it is increasingly important to protect and preserve feed quality from harvest to feedout. The period prior to spring planting provides an opportunity for producers to evaluate current silage management practices and explore options to improve this year’s crop storage.

Optimizing fresh cow health and performance in our modern dairies is one of the most challenging and, at the same time, one of the most rewarding tasks for veterinarians, nutritionists and dairymen.

Etiology of fatty liver and ketosis Fatty liver syndrome and ketosis are metabolic disorders that result from intense fat mobilization during hormonal changes and negative energy balance associated with the transition period. The liver is an extremely important metabolic organ in transition dairy cows.

High grain prices have many dairy producers and their nutritionists sharpening their pencils, looking for ways to reduce feed costs. One option is to replace a portion of the supplemental corn grain with high-quality corn silage that provides highly digestible fiber and contains more energy in the forage fraction, compared with silage made from grain corn hybrids.

Today, more than ever, smart nutrient management is critical to overall feed value and efficiency of the dairy operation. The cost of keeping cows productive is more intense and challenging than ever, and getting the most from the ration is critical, no matter what the production goals are.

Today, more than ever, smart nutrient management is critical to overall feed value and efficiency of the dairy operation. The cost of keeping cows productive is more intense and challenging than ever, and getting the most from the ration is critical, no matter what the production goals are.

When cows in two separate milking parlors receive the same diet from the same feed center, how can one set of cows be 0.2 percent higher in butterfat than the other? That’s the question the manager of a 4,000-plus cow dairy asked one of our regional reps.