When cattle start rubbing and losing hair in late winter or early spring, lice are often the first suspect. Follow-up checks by producers and veterinarians, however, show the cause is not always that simple.

Corn products produced in 2025 will present challenges to livestock and poultry production. Although the mycotoxin risk varies by region and within region, it is highly recommended for producers to test for mycotoxins from how many mycotoxins are present to which mycotoxins are present. 

Although it has become commonplace in our standard daily routines, we don’t think about all the ways AI tools are and can be utilized on dairy operations. These powerful tools can not only simplify day-to-day tasks, but they can also help drive decision-making and profitability.

Variability isn’t ideal for any situation on a dairy farm, but one way to get through variation is to know when it’s coming. If you tested forages when they came off the field, you should have a pretty good idea of their quality – but there may be hidden challenges you need to prepare for.

Each year, environmental stressors such as drought, excess moisture, high temperatures, humidity and insect damage predispose crops to mold growth and subsequent mycotoxin contamination. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites secreted by various fungi species found on crops grown for livestock feed.

Residual mycotoxin load isn’t limited to drought years or visible mold – it’s a systemic risk that persists across geographies and seasons.

Challenges with growing seasons, weather-related harvest delays and subpar silage storage can lead to mycotoxins in stored forages. Our three-legged milking stool for mitigating mycotoxins includes: a research-proven silage inoculant, binders from multiple classes added to the TMR and effective probiotics fed to the cows to help them help themselves.