As producers walk the profitability tightrope, efficiency is the most important tool to make progress in the balancing act of improving income over feed cost. Lou Armentano, a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, says creating more efficient cows begins with making the right breeding and selection decisions.

When I was a young animal scientist growing up on the dairy farm, we would routinely use a silage inoculant when ensiling alfalfa haylage – but not very often for corn silage.

When selecting corn hybrids, dairy farmers often consider a variety of factors that play a role in the nutritional quality for dairy rations. Today’s corn silage hybrids offer high yield potential but can vary substantially in nutritional quality depending on genetics and environmental factors.

Being a producer in today’s market means constantly seeking ways to move your herd’s production to the next level. When it comes to nutrition, it’s all about making the ration as productive and efficient as possible.

Milk fat represents a large part of the economic and nutritional value of milk; therefore, decreases in milk fat concentration have serious consequences for a dairy’s bottom line. With that said, researchers have done a good job outlining the factors that cause low milk fat.

What makes modern corn silage such a great lactation cow forage? This feed is incredibly consistent, taking some of the variability out of the daily ration, and cows respond favorably to boredom in the ration.

Optimizing the health and production of dairy cows is largely achieved by ensuring cows maintain sufficient nutrient intakes to meet their requirements.

Alfalfa hay is traditionally a staple in dairy rations. Common knowledge dictates it is included for the protein, structural fiber and palatability it brings to the dairy ration.

Dairy steers are an important source of beef production in the U.S. Since Holstein is the dominant dairy breed, emphasis is placed on finishing Holstein steers. “Dairy beef” refers to any dairy herd progeny developed to be ruminating cattle and harvested at an age that qualifies them for the USDA Prime, Choice or Select quality grades. Beef cattle breeds are referred to as “native” breeds.

Downsizing from four mixers and four tractors to one mixer, one loader and a consistent product that has produced beneficial results in a tight dairy economy are the big reasons Cheyenne Dairy of Dexter, New Mexico, revolutionized their feeding system in one short year.