Feed costs are the largest contributor to total costs on a farm, so identifying opportunities to optimize feed ingredients without sacrificing nutrition to the cow should garner appropriate attention. However, very few resources are available to help us check and predict feed variability.

While there is still opportunity to further fine-tune the fat budget in our rations as research is devoted in this area, current tools give greater insight as to what strategies are working and which need further adjustments. Who knows, maybe someday balancing our rations with fat will be as easy as balancing that checkbook.

Just as feed handling and management has evolved greatly over the last 50 years, the same will be true about data management as we move into the future. Identifying all of the data silos on farms and working to integrate them into a singular dataset will empower dairies to make more informed decisions that yield more substantial results quicker.

High-performing dairy cattle can be likened to high-performing athletes, and their ability to perform to their full potential is also tied to their routine’s consistency. From milking to feeding, our steadiness on the farm is an important part of herd success.

There are many different opinions regarding the U.S. cattle herd and what 2024 will hold for inventory levels. While some believe rapid regrowth is right around the corner and even underway, others are hesitant that regrowth of the herd from historic lows will be a slow and potentially delayed process.