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. James C. Coomer, Ph.D., P.A.S. The word mycotoxin appears to have been first used in a publication by Forgacs and Carll (1955) where they are describing diseases of animals caused by toxins produced by fungi (microbial toxins = mycotoxin). The word usually refers to a structurally diverse family of naturally occurring, fungal-elaborated toxins. […]
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 […]
By Dr. James C. Coomer, Ph.D., P.A.S. Feed bunk management represents a very important aspect of the productivity and profitability of all dairy operations. Proper feed bunk management is important for maximizing dry matter intake (DMI) and optimizing production. This process is vital for animal nutrition, in general. For each one pound increase in DMI, […]
By Dr. James C. Coomer, Ph.D., PAS There appears to be significant winterkill on alfalfa stands throughout the upper Midwest this year due to the mild winter and lack of snow cover to protect the plants. If you are among those experiencing significant winterkill on your alfalfa crop then you are probably asking the question […]
By Dr. James C. Coomer, Ph.D., P.A.S. Milk prices have decreased significantly in 2015 and look to be trending similar or lower in 2016, which will cause most dairy producers to consider cost-cutting strategies. Feed costs are always a prime candidate for reducing expenses since feed costs typically make up about 50% of total cash […]
By Dr. James C. Coomer, Ph.D., P.A.S. What is Manganese? Manganese (Mn) is an important trace mineral which animals require in very small quantities). It is involved in many aspects of both plant and animal life, primarily as an enzyme activator. Reduced growth or abnormal growth and development (such as perosis in chickens) is one […]