A hands-on approach to nutrition helped this dairy realize its full potential when it comes to milk production and animal health. “Since switching to Cargill, it’s like we have a second pair of eyes and hands on the dairy. The regular walk-throughs, manure screenings, shaker box readings, and data analysis from the Cargill team has given our dairy more information than we ever had before,” explains Parker Byington who is the part owner and manager of Heritage Hills Dairy in Southeast Minnesota. On the dairy, Byington uses expertise from the Cargill team and utilizes Cargill feed in his pre-fresh and lactating diets.

In the last few months, the dairy industry has seen significant swings in farmgate milk prices due to COVID-19 disrupting markets. A highly variable milk price puts tremendous pressure on maximizing income over feed cost (IOFC).

When it comes to feed ingredients, few can compete with whole cottonseed for lactating dairy cattle. As a triple nutrient feedstuff containing protein, high energy and high fiber, cottonseed is proven to support milk production and boost butterfat. To maximize these nutritional benefits, it’s important to store and handle cottonseed properly.

Why are fat supplements fed? Because in early lactation, cows cannot eat enough to meet their increasing milk production energy requirements. Thus, cows go into negative energy balance. This is an issue for especially the first one-third of a lactation. And, this negative energy balance is more pronounced and for a longer period of time for cows beyond their first lactation. Consequently, fat supplements are used to increase energy density of the ration. But, if a fat supplement decreases dry matter intake (DMI), the benefit of using it is decreased.