Feed costs account for more than 45% of production costs and approach nearly 60% with high feed costs. Obviously, dairy income is directly proportional to milk volume, composition and quality produced on the farm.

Calving is not a disease; it is a stage that needs to be managed and how that is done will impact a cow for her entire lactation. Best practices for transitioning a cow from far-off fresh to her lactation group has a host of areas that need focused attention by the entire management team on the dairy. 

Focusing on fine-tuning for feed efficiency and partnering with an expert who can help analyze your herd’s needs will be an important strategy as cost pressures continue to rise. With some simple adjustments, you can protect your operation’s bottom line.

During the transition period, a lot goes on “under the hood” so to speak that can be a drag on a cow’s efficiency, such as inflammation and decreased feed intake.

There are a few areas on a farm that don’t receive as much attention by publications, consultants and even the dairy producers themselves that can have a dramatic impact on farm profitability. 

I recently got a phone call from a nearby dairyman, “Joe,” inquiring if I would give him a second opinion on his rations.

The use of feed additives in livestock diets is part of many nutritional strategies to help optimize performance, health and the well-being of animals.

Last fall, when cottonseed prices kept shooting higher, dairy producers were pulling the ingredient out of their rations or reducing their inclusion rates. However, prices have since come back down to the same price as seen last spring in 2022.

Heat stress occurs when an animal generates and absorbs more heat than it can dissipate through respiration, sweating or active cooling. Rumination generates large amounts of heat, so when a cow is hot, her first response is typically to eat less feed.