By Grace Thomas, M.Agr.Sc. P.A.S. The temperate climate in Ireland and the United Kingdom leads to ideal conditions for pasture growth. Due to this, pasture and pasture-based forages make up a large proportion of dairy cow and beef cattle rations. With 95% of Irish dairy cows(1) receiving pasture or grass silage in their diet, and […]
By Dr. James C. Coomer, Ph.D., PAS Mycotoxins seem to be discussed everywhere in livestock nutrition press these days and it appears mycotoxins are an inevitable part of nutrition now and into the foreseeable future. DSM recently released their December mycotoxin survey, including their corn mycotoxin survey results for 2023. The survey of 123 corn […]
By Dr. Dan Schauff, Ph.D., P.A.S. Practical and research observations have long shown a healthy calf is more likely to become a healthy, productive dairy cow. Most also recognize that a successful colostrum feeding/management program is essential and foundational to support a calf’s health, future growth, and milk production. There is growing evidence, however, that […]
By Dr. Louisa E. Koch, Ph.D., P.A.S. Cereal grains represent a major source of energy for the high-producing dairy cow and can greatly impact feed efficiency. Transforming every pound of nutrients into saleable product is the cornerstone of achieving optimal feed efficiency. In most dairy production systems, corn is the predominant cereal grain. The largest […]
By Dr. Gene P. Gengelbach, Ph.D., P.A.S. Fall is the time of year many people associate with colorful foliage and football. For the livestock producer, this is the time of year they must evaluate their forages and devise a feeding strategy for the upcoming winter months. Many parts of the country experienced drought conditions for […]
By Lucas A. Krueger Why does dry matter loss matter? With summer forage harvests behind us and fall crop silage in full focus, evaluating dry matter loss from harvested forages is never more important. From a practical standpoint, dry matter loss equates to wasted fuel consumption; seed, fertilizer, herbicide, and pesticide use; and acreage. Dry […]
By Dr. David Jones, Ph.D., P.A.S. Along with amino acids and peptides, ammonia is part of the soluble protein (or ‘A’ fraction) of routine protein analysis. It is generated by the deamination (removal of nitrogen-containing amino groups) of proteins, which reduces the overall quality of the protein. Ammonia is a source of nitrogen for rumen […]
By Dr. Louisa E. Koch, Ph.D., P.A.S. You have likely heard a thing or two about the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E. Did you know, however, that the water-soluble B-vitamins play essential roles in the cow, as well? The B-vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins that have key roles as enzymatic cofactors or […]
Have you gotten the chance to check out the new, updated Analab website? Maybe you’re not even sure what Analab is. Analab is a division of Agri-King, Inc. It is a professional agricultural testing laboratory that has been helping farms, feed companies, researchers, and agricultural manufacturers throughout the United States for years. Analab provides a […]
By David Jones, Ph.D., P.A.S. Preparing pre-fresh cows to properly transition from the dry period to lactation is instrumental to the success of the cows once they freshen and begin lactation. Some basic goals when preparing pre-fresh cows to transition to lactation are: Maximize DMI before and after calving Maintain immune function Minimize body fat […]