Chromium has become a useful addition to transition diets. Supplementing with 6 to 8 milligrams per cow daily has been shown to significantly boost dry matter intake, energy efficiency and cow resilience. New data shows that these benefits go beyond fresh cows, supporting chromium supplementation throughout the entire lactation.

While there is still opportunity to further fine-tune the fat budget in our rations as research is devoted in this area, current tools give greater insight as to what strategies are working and which need further adjustments. Who knows, maybe someday balancing our rations with fat will be as easy as balancing that checkbook.

The global dairy sector made unexpectedly strong gains, growing by 3.2%. Robust consumer demand, favorable milk prices and a shift toward more intensive farming practices largely fueled this expansion, with Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and Latin America all displaying growth. While dairy feed production remained stable in North America, Oceania’s reliance on abundant pasture led to a slight dip in its feed tonnage.

New mycotoxin species emerge every year and spread rapidly to affect livestock. Protecting cows from these pathogenic pressures is important to protect cow health and maintain a productive herd. Gut health has never been more important, which adds to the critical nature of a mycotoxin mitigation strategy.

The ability to factor isoacid requirements into ration formulation has allowed numerous dairies across the country to improve herd performance. If you’re looking for ways to make the most of available forages and improve herd productivity, be sure to ask your nutritionist about including isoacids in your herd’s ration.

While vaccines contribute greatly to a cow’s immune system, there are other aspects of the immune system that should not be forgotten. Ensuring that essential elements such as trace minerals are provided, allows for the cow’s entire immune system to be ready to fight off an invasion, not just relying on the special forces.