Rebecca Kern-Lunbery

BMR forage: Are we getting the bang for our buck?

April 9, 2021

Brown midrib (BMR) or low-lignin varieties of sorghum, sudan, millet and hybrid crosses have been commercially available since the 1990s. However, I still receive questions (and opinions) from livestock producers regarding claims that BMR varieties improve animal performance relative to their non-BMR counterparts. Some buy in wholeheartedly, attesting to improved intake and body condition; others say they have not seen the benefits.

Maintaining pasture health to maintain weight

February 1, 2021

Rebecca Kern-Lunbery

For many cattle producers, it is a relief to put the cows to pasture. We have just overcome winter feeding obstacles, and many of us are ready to turn the cows out and focus on other tasks.

Do’s and don’ts of feeding forages high in nitrate

October 5, 2020

Rebecca Kern-Lunbery

Acute nitrate toxicity occurs when animals consume high-nitrate forages for a short period of time. Nitrate is converted to nitrite by rumen microbes as an intermediate step in converting the nitrate to microbial protein. Ruminant animals are specifically at risk, as they bring up the feed bolus for chewing and inhale the nitrite.

3 constituents beyond protein and RFV

August 4, 2020

Rebecca Kern-Lunbery

Often, I consult with livestock producers testing forage for their animals. Inevitably there are two numbers on the report they are most concerned with, protein and relative feed value (RFV). Protein is an important value to understand if the forage meets animal requirements, and RFV is a useful index to quickly compare or rank forages.

Four common mistakes for forage samples

March 31, 2020

Rebecca Kern-Lunbery

Working in a commercial agricultural-testing laboratory, I see all different types of feed and forage samples submitted in all kinds of ways. A silage sample might be sent to us in a large vet glove, while a corn grain might come in a coffee can, even when most labs provide sample bags for submission. Which brings me to the first of four common mistakes made when submitting forage samples to a commercial laboratory for testing.

Analyze forage minerals to avoid animal health issues

March 1, 2020

Rebecca Kern-Lunbery

Each year I consult with several different producers regarding mineral issues in their feed. Some common things I hear are: “They just aren’t thrifty,” “They aren’t gaining like they should,” or, “We had more open cows than I was expecting.”