By Dr. Gene P. Gengelbach, Ph.D., P.A.S. Making balage is becoming an increasingly popular form for making and storing high-quality forage. Once thought of as a “rescue” for hay that wouldn’t dry, now it is becoming an integral part of many forage operations. In fact, Kendall Guither, a six-time balage division champion at the World […]
By Dr. Dave Jones, Ph.D., P.A.S. Fatty acids are components of lipid molecules most commonly stored in the form of a triglyceride (1 glycerol, 3 fatty acids). The nutritionally important component of fats are the fatty acids and they serve many different functions: Source of energy Affect breeding proficiency Modulators of the immune system Building […]
By Dr. Dan Schauff, Ph.D., P.A.S. Supplying newborn calves with adequate quantity and quality of colostrum can greatly impact future health, growth and milk production of heifer calves. However, colostrum production and quality can vary considerably between cows and seasons of the year. Occasionally, our Nutrition Department will get queries concerning why cows have significantly […]
By Dr. Louisa Koch, Ph.D., P.A.S. Vitamins are organic compounds that are required in small quantities and are essential for the maintenance of life. Rising feed costs and lower profit margins may motivate some producers to limit vitamin and trace mineral inclusion. However, supplementation of adequate vitamin levels in the diet is pivotal to the […]
Taking a Fresh Look at a Farm By Grace Thomas, M.Agr.Sc. PAS When everything is going well, it is easy to become complacent. Cow basics may appear efficient, for instance. However, it is best not to wait for something to go wrong before looking at farm management practices, as an error could be very costly. […]
By Dr. James Coomer, Ph.D., P.A.S. The 2019 annual meeting of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) was recently held in Cincinnati, OH with almost 2,000 dairy industry professionals in attendance. There were over 1,100 scientific presentations made either orally or by poster presentation (about 550 of each type). There were over 340 presentations related […]
It’s no secret that the weather in the Midwest has been high in precipitation this year. All of this rain and extra moisture can cause feed and pastures to become moldy. Storage units, bales, and land have all been flooded for months and it doesn’t take much for that water to ruin your livestock’s feed. […]
By Gene P. Gengelbach, Ph.D. PAS Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse… Last year (2018) U.S. hay and haylage forages were down 6% from the prior year, and quality was below average in many regions due to untimely rains interrupting the normal harvest schedule. Couple that with the extreme winter weather that […]
Today’s nutritional technology and knowledge make it easy to overlook the basics of dairy cow nutrition. This, in turn, makes it possible to complicate a ration with the inclusion of too many commodities. Don’t forget the basics. Dairy cows require nutrients and not feed ingredients.
More Than Meets the Eye By Dr. Louisa Koch, Ph.D., P.A.S. In today’s dairy markets, milk fat is a primary contributor to the value of milk and is also the most variable component. From an economic standpoint, increasing milk fat by a tenth of a percent can translate to greater income for a dairy operation […]