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Home » Authors » Donna Benschop
Donna Benschop

Donna Benschop

Donna Benschop, M.Sc., is a dairy technical services specialist with Cargill Animal Nutrition. 

Dairy Technical Services Specialist / Cargill Animal Nutrition
Articles

ARTICLES

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Preweaned calf rumen development: How it shapes heifer growth and future milk production

Understanding rumen development at the cellular level can aid in management decisions that influence milk production.
June 9, 2026
Donna Benschop and Amelie Mainville

Let’s explore how the rumen develops in the preweaning phase, and it will become clear why a proper grower diet is necessary for optimal growth and long-term productivity in dairy calves.



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Fine-tuning haylage and cereal silage quality for different life stages within the herd

Spring is the perfect time to set haylage quality goals, considering the varying needs of different animal groups on a dairy farm, to improve forage quality across all life stages, even if separate forage types aren't always feasible.
April 17, 2025
Donna Benschop

The arrival of spring always offers a sense of renewal and a promise of new beginnings as the fields turn green, making it the ideal time to set haylage quality goals for the year. Generally, when discussing haylage quality, the conversation is usually centred around forage quality for the lactating herd, as it makes up the largest percentage of feed being consumed.


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Breaking down the year-end review: 3 areas to focus on

As you reflect on the past year, consider focusing on your calf and heifer and transition cow programs, as well as areas of improvement in your lactating herd.
November 14, 2024
Donna Benschop

As the year draws to a close, it is the ideal time to take a step back and look at each part of your operation and make a note of areas where progress has been made (and celebrate it!) and identify areas of opportunity.


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Craquer le grain pour une plus grande profitabilité

Trois étapes pour améliorer l'ensilage de maïs, en mettant l'accent sur l'amidon digestible par le rumen.
August 30, 2023
Donna Benschop and Maxime Tarte

La saison de récolte du maïs ensilage est à nos portes, ce qui en fait le moment parfait pour prendre un pas de recul et se poser la question suivante : qu’est-ce qui pourrait être fait différemment cette année pour maximiser l’énergie que votre troupeau ira puiser dans les fourrages? 


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Processing silage for greater profitability

Three steps to better corn silage, with an emphasis on rumen-digestible starch
July 4, 2023
Donna Benschop and Maxime Tarte
Corn silage has become an integral part of most dairy rations because of the energy and fibre it brings to lactating cow diets. To maximize the amount of energy that can be "harvested" from this forage, extra effort is needed to get all the details right – particularly when it comes to improving starch digestibility.
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Maximizing your return on investment: Heifers

Knowing the herd’s MBW is important for meeting AFC goals, as it is a key component for building an effective heifer-rearing program that sets animals up for success at every stage.
July 19, 2022
Donna Benschop and Matt Groen
“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22.” You might be wondering why an article on heifer raising is starting off with lyrics from a popular Taylor Swift song, but that line from her 2013 song describes a lot of themes around setting goals and optimizing heifer raising.
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Kick subclinical ketosis to the curb

October 19, 2021
Donna Benschop and Mario Domingue
Management practices and nutritional strategies during the transition period have a significant impact on the health and productivity of the dairy cow and, as a consequence, influence both the profitability and longevity of the herd.
Read More

Forage digestibility dynamics: A new look at NDF

September 14, 2021
Donna Benschop and Catherine Delorme Tetreault
The start of a new forage year is always filled with much anticipation – will it be a record-breaking year in terms of yield? Will the quality match or surpass the previous year?
Read More
Cows at the feedbunk

Evaluating costs the ‘SMART’ way

December 31, 2020
Donna Benschop and Matt Groen
The start of a new year is often a time of reflection on the past year, of setting resolutions for the coming year and, when it comes to your dairy business, a time of crunching the numbers to set both financial and production goals for the coming year.
Read More
Dixon feedbunk

Kick subclinical ketosis to the curb

October 30, 2020
Donna Benschop and Mario Domingue
Management practices and nutritional strategies during the transition period have a significant impact on the health and productivity of the dairy cow and, as a consequence, influence both the profitability and longevity of the herd.
Read More
View All Articles by Donna Benschop
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