When we hear the phrase “challenges in the transition pen,” we often think about the lactating herd, paying particular attention to the transition from a dry, non-lactating animal to a highly productive lactating animal.

The idea of the gut microbiome having an impact on health is not new. Hippocrates (400 B.C.) stated that, “Death is in the bowels, poor digestion is the origin of all evil.”

Every March, the madness begins. Avid college basketball fans will recognize the reference as more than 130 men’s and women’s Division 1 college basketball teams vie for the championship trophies, knowing full well that for all but two teams, their final game of the season will be a loss.

If you’ve spent any amount of time studying successful dairies, you quickly realize one of the common denominators is: They are not only great forage producers but also great forage managers.