Feed costs are the greatest expense on a dairy. With feed prices moving higher, margins will become even tighter, making it difficult to build equity. A choice looms: Cut back/remove feed ingredients from the ration or forge ahead and maintain current ingredient levels. Either way, revisiting feed management pays off. If feed has been forward contracted for a lesser price or is already stored in the bunker, it still must be closely managed.

Sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is described as a digestive disorder where the pH of the ruminal contents is between 5.5 and 5.8. Historical estimates indicate it costs the dairy industry in North America between $500 million and $1 billion per year. A decrease in rumen pH from the normal range of 6.0 to 6.4 may be attributed to many factors. Some potential causes include: • Quick diet changes from a lower to a higher concentrate ration • Overmixing the TMR • High DCAD diets • Diet sorting and errors in nutrient content of feeds.