Loren Benware and Dan March-aland are New York dairymen who feed diets of 75% forage that maintain milk production, lower costs and keep cows – and producers – happy...More
As with hay, corn silage supplies will likely be deficient this year, according to agronomists and forage specialists from around the country. As a result, corn silage prices were increasing as comments were collected the third week of August...More
Silage made from a tillering brown midrib forage corn can replace up to 50% of the conventional corn silage and alfalfa hay in dairy rations without affecting feed intake, milk production or milk composition...More
Silage corn should be seeded at 35,000 kernels/acre – whether it’s Bt, non-Bt, brown midrib (BMR) or a silage-specific Bt hybrid, says William Cox, Cornell University crops and soils scientist...More
If your herd’s production isn’t as high as you think it should be, or if milk or milk components fluctuate too much, your cows may not be consuming the same ration at every feeding...More
Early lactation cows like tall or meadow fescue added as part of the silage portion of their diets. Producers may, too. Milk yields were maintained and, in some cases, even increased by 3-4 lbs/day in University of Wisconsin trials...More
Since they started growing their own hay, Wally Holmgren and his son Mike have had a consistent supply of high-quality organic alfalfa for their 400-cow Jersey herd. But their hauling costs haven’t changed much...More
Giving cows a few more inches at the feedbunk will help maintain milk production and promote good herd health. They need equal access to the total mixed ration (TMR) formulated for them, because it reduces variation in dry matter intake...More
Lowering the amount of crude protein in a dairy herd’s diet can save on feed costs while decreasing excess nitrogen and ammonia emissions. And it doesn’t have to adversely affect milk production...More
Dairy producers looking to line up top-quality alfalfa hay for fall and winter shouldn’t give up hope despite USDA’s August Crop Production report...More
Harvesting and storing high-quality forages can help dairy producers reduce the cost of feeding their herds without compromising milk production and growth of dairy heifers, reminds Donna Amaral-Phillips, University of Kentucky dairy nutrition and grazing management specialist...More
A high-protein meal made from algae and other aquatic microbes performed as well as alfalfa in a University of Minnesota dairy feeding trial, the company that developed it reports...More
University of Illinois emeritus dairy specialist Mike Hutjens talks about two dairies and how they manage their operations to produce a high-quality, consistent forage. That, in turn, translates to more milk and more profit...More
The challenging late spring and continuing wet weather patterns may mean producers have primarily lower-quality forage available for their dairies. J.W. Schroeder, North Dakota State University Extension dairy specialist, suggests ways to deal with the problem...More
With heat indexes soaring over 100° this week, livestock need to be closely monitored to prevent health and production problems, warns Ted Funk, University of Illinois Extension ag engineer...More
Feeding high-quality forages is one of several important factors that will determine dairy producers’ profitability this year, says Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois professor of animal sciences emeritus...More
Dung beetles are more likely to be the butt of jokes than part of a serious pasture plan. But these aptly named insects improve manure breakdown and nutrient availability in soil while reducing fly populations and allowing for more thorough foraging...More
Information on managing forages will be a big part of the 2011 Tri-State Dairy Conference, set for April 19 and 20 at the Grand Wayne Center in Fort Wayne, IN...More
With the 2011 harvest season just around the corner in many parts of the country, custom forage harvesters are likely to find many of their dairy-producer customers a bit more upbeat than they were a year ago....More
A new method of measuring ruminal starch digestibility of feed ingredients can make ration balancing more precise. That’s according to Forage Genetics International representatives, who announced the new lab technology, called “Calibrate,” at World Dairy Expo last month....More
An NIR feed analyzing monitor, mounted on a loader bucket, may offer dairy producers a more precise way of feeding, reduce feed losses – and put more milk in their tanks...More
