“If some is good, then more is better” has been the accepted feeding practice for vitamin E in dairy cows, especially during the dry and early lactation periods. Only positive or “no effect” studies of high vitamin E supplementation have been reported in dairy cows.

Many producers have abandoned feeding multiple totally mixed rations (TMRs) to milking cows after they leave the fresh group (or after calving), despite great differences in nutrient requirements and animal physiology between cows in early and late lactation.

Manure nutrients, a valuable commodity in the past, are becoming an unwanted pollutant. Manure is a natural “byproduct” of milk and meat production from farm animals. In human history, this “byproduct” has always been regarded as a highly valuable source of nutrients and was being applied back to the soil where the nutrients to feed animals originally came from.

The decision to use pasture as a major source of nutrients for milking cows must be accompanied by a strong commitment to properly managing the pasture. Determining soil fertility status, choosing a fertilization program, selecting appropriate forage species and controlling grazing are important elements of a pasture management program.

Following the dairy financial crisis of 2009, virtually every dairy farmer in America has spent time evaluating strategies to mitigate the impact when rising feed costs and low milk prices drive profit margins into the red. Lowering operating costs is one logical response to the financial squeeze, and it is the reason a growing number of producers have turned their attention toward grazing.

There was a time long, long ago, before electric milking machines and refrigeration, before modern technology and the slow disappearance of the farmer, that every dairy cow in the world spent most of its productive life grazing on a pasture.

Utilizing available resources efficiently has become a foundation for successful grazing operations. To effectively produce high-quality milk means more than providing pasture to the milking herd; it also means supplying a balanced ration alongside high-quality forages. Supplementing grazing cattle diets has the ability to achieve both of these goals.

The risk that a cow will develop mastitis is a function of pathogen load at the teat end and the cow’s ability to prevent a bacterial infection from becoming established in the mammary gland. Practicing good cow hygiene (keeping stalls clean, frequent scraping of alleys and following good milking procedures) will reduce teat-end exposure, and good nutrition can improve immune function, thereby reducing infection rates and severity of mastitis.

Corn silage is the predominant forage ingredient in many dairies across North America. Producers have moved to heavier corn silage diets for a variety of reasons and benefits (some perceived and some real): Higher tonnage per acre More consistent diet Ability to meet energy requirements more easily Ease of ensiling Good fibre source

If you’re like most dairy producers, you’re able to cite your herd’s average milk production, pregnancy rate or somatic cell counts without hesitation. But what about your feed efficiency? Very few producers have a good handle on feed efficiency, yet improving conversion of feed into milk is one of the ways dairy operations can survive today’s economic climate.