Modern dairy production relies on capturing nutrient and production efficiencies for the animal and cropping sides of the business to optimize profitability.

Corn hybrid selection on a dairy farm is an important consideration. When it comes to nutritional quality in a dairy ration, not all corn is created equal. Yield, starch content, starch digestibility, fiber digestibility and other nutritive characteristics vary depending on hybrid genetics.

Improving drainage for crop growth dates to antiquity. The Egyptians and Babylonians used extensive ditching and “under-drainage” techniques to remove excess soil water. In an early farm management text, circa 200 B.C., Roman author Cato described basic artificial drainage methods in his De Agri Cultura (“On Farming” or “On Agriculture”).

A simple definition of soil fertility is a soil’s capacity to produce crops. For practical reasons, traditional fertility emphasizes soil chemical aspects that affect yield and nutrient availability.