Mycotoxin contamination, caused by molds and fungi that appear in feed, is an urgent concern in dairy rations across the country this year. A recent mycotoxin report warns contamination levels in the 2018 crop present a medium-to-high risk to livestock.

Mycotoxin contamination, caused by molds and fungi that appear in feed, is an urgent concern in dairy rations across the country this year. A recent mycotoxin report warns that contamination levels in the 2018 crop present a medium-to-high risk to livestock.

No dairy is immune to the negative effects of mycotoxins on animal health and performance. In tests of the 2017 U.S. corn crop across 23 states, 91 percent of grain, silage and corn byproduct samples contained mycotoxins.

It was a cowboy’s worst nightmare. Pen after pen of lethargic cattle. Feed intake down by 50 percent. Skyrocketing pulls. Even heavy 1,300-pound cattle heading to the hospital pen in higher-than-normal numbers.

The road to a successful fall breeding season seems simple enough: Get the most cows bred in the shortest possible window, then maintain those pregnancies until calving time.

It’s simple to see how well cows produce milk by monitoring milk weights and tracking milk component percentages. But knowing and tracking these figures can be misleading when it comes to determining how well a dairy is actually performing. That’s because these values do not allow you to compare productivity between days, months or cows on a level playing field due to the three moving parts (volume, fat and protein).

Observing cows is nothing new in the dairy business – we all do it every day. But taking some time to critically review a few fundamental cow behaviors on your own operation can have great effects on cow health, performance and the overall attitude of employees within your business. Here are some good areas to watch during your next walk among your cows. Flight zones When you or your employees walk into a pen of cows, how do the cows react to your presence? Do they notice you and head to the opposite end of the pen, or can you walk from one end to the other without a cow taking a step?