The low milk prices in recent years have motivated many dairy producers to cut back on feed costs. Certainly all producers and nutritionists should be evaluating their rations to make sure they are feeding the most cost-effective ration.

In a recent article, we described forage microbial hygiene specific to nutrient preservation during the ensiling process and the subsequent potential impacts to digestion and health from the naturally occurring micro-organisms on the crop at harvest.

Great strides have been made recently in improving the fertility of dairy cows, with significant focus on genomics and improvements in sync programs. As the genetic potential of our herds continues to accelerate, how we feed these genetics to meet the needs of high-performing dairy cows becomes that much more critical.

In the coming years, heat waves may occur more frequently and last longer. Beyond reducing the quality and quantity of forage, high temperatures and humidity also affect productivity and reproductive performance of livestock.

The transition period is the most critical period for a successful lactation. Many factors play a crucial role in the success of this period, such as comfort and ventilation, the overall health of the animals, the quality of the feed served, as well as the feeding strategy used.

The transition period is challenging for the dairy cow since the cow needs to adapt very quickly to the calving process, the sudden change from a non-lactating to a lactating stage and to the preparation for the next breeding period.

The 2018 growing season was the year of tar spot on corn. Never before had the north-central U.S. experienced an epidemic of the disease that limited corn yield and quality.

For the most part, most dairies include at least some supplemental or additive products in their feeding programs. We build diets starting with the forage base, using the best forages we can, and then add different feed and grain components to provide protein and energy.

Recently, among the different dietary fatty acids (FAs), considerable attention has been given to palmitic acid (C16:0) because of its potential to increase milkfat concentration and yield. Additionally, C16:0 has consistently increased feed efficiency compared with diets not supplemented with fats and other options of FA supplements.

The marketplace for dairy feed additives is saturated with products that claim to improve production, rumen health, cow health or efficiency, among other advantages. Many of these products can be classified as either prebiotics or probiotics.