Articles by Alvaro Garcia

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The power of residual feed intake in optimizing feed efficiency

By accurately measuring individual feed intake and implementing residual feed intake, dairy producers can make informed decisions to enhance overall herd efficiency and profitability.
September 27, 2023
Alvaro Garcia

The dairy industry is facing numerous challenges with a pressing need for sustainable practices that optimize resource utilization and improve profitability. Residual feed intake (RFI) provides a powerful tool for evaluating feed efficiency in dairy production.


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Hydroponic culture effects on lactating dairy cows

Cows eating hydroponic forage had higher feed efficiency resulting from improved rumen function, increased production and reduced methane losses.
September 27, 2022
Alvaro Garcia

Cows on harvested feeds perform better when allowed at least a couple of hours of grazing green, lush pasture. Early feeding observations have suggested hydroponic forages behave similarly, enhancing intake, rumination and nutrient digestibility.



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Evaluating wet feedstuffs for dairy cows

August 18, 2021
Alvaro Garcia
Wet feedstuffs derived from the food and ethanol industries are valuable additions to cattle diets, when available within reasonable distance from the farm. They not only provide required nutrients, but their moisture content helps condition total mixed rations (TMRs), increases their palatability and reduces feed sorting by livestock. Depending on their water content and price, however, their purchase can turn into a questionable economic decision.
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The potential of small-grain silage

August 6, 2021
Alvaro Garcia
Where climate is adequate for its growth, corn silage is the main forage in intensive cattle production systems. Warm regions of the world usually allow for a double corn crop, thereby maximizing land use. In other regions with well-defined seasons, corn is harvested only once, leaving the land oftentimes fallow during the rest of the year.
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Tips for managing temperature swings this spring

May 13, 2013
Alvaro Garcia
Editor's note: South Dakota State University's Alvaro Garcia sent out the following information to the DAIRY-L list serv on Monday, May 13, 2013. This was sent as a heads-up for producers in the upper Midwest about temperatures for May 14. The heat that day and the following was preceded by unusually cool days and nights, and cows did not have the chance to acclimate.
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Feed dairy cows for body condition score

October 31, 2011
Alvaro Garcia
Changes in bodyweight are not a very good indicator of the nutritional status of dairy cows. For example, while the gut contents of a 1,400-lb dairy cow weigh approximately 200 lbs, the cow has a daily intake of nearly 100 lbs of feed (fresh weight) and 160 to 240 lbs of water (one gallon equals 8 lbs).
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