Mailbox milk prices do change; this is the reality of the matter and one that dairymen have to deal with. When the price within a year drops more than 30 percent, as it did in the last 12 months, it raises yellow flags. And for many, this means looking for ways to cut ration costs. Milk price changes should not be a surprise. In the recent past, we have experienced similar, if not wider, swings.

We feed lactating dairy cows starch sources that may be ground, flaked, processed, rolled or ensiled. In addition, we store feeds containing starch in bags, bunkers and bins at different moisture contents for different lengths of time.

The dairy industry has become increasingly precise in identifying and meeting the protein requirements of dairy cattle.Most notably, the industry has moved from focusing on the diet’s content of crude protein to metabolizable protein and now to individual amino acids.

Dairy producers and nutritionists understand the importance of providing adequate levels of nutrients in dairy cow rations. However, it is possible to provide too much of a good thing, which can lead to some undesirable consequences.

Feed represents more than half of a typical dairy farm’s operating costs. When milk prices decline, cutting feed costs is often a tempting first strategy for producers and their nutrition consultants.