It might not seem like much when you walk through the barn and notice an empty feedbunk. The feed truck eventually drops a pile of feed, and the cows dive in to eat. All seems right with the world. While this may be the perception, reality tells a much different story. That period of reduced intake likely caused a fair amount of stress to the cow’s digestive system, doing more harm than many producers realize.

No article about improving bunk life would be complete without first reiterating why it’s so important. When you harvest hay and forage crops, your goal is to capture the highest feed value possible.

Hourly pushups to keep feed within the cows’ reach has helped Kinnard Farms grab onto milk production and herd health goals.