If raising replacement heifers is such a large expense and over 50% of those expenses come from feed costs, the question should be: How can we reduce the costs of producing quality feed for dairy heifers?...

High-quality corn silage and alfalfa and grass forages are staples on dairy farms; however, these feedstuffs provide inadequate fiber and excess energy for breeding-age and pregnant dairy heifers...

Livestock systems across the country are ultimately anchored in the forage and feedstuffs available to them. Even as advances in the agricultural industry allow more opportunities for farms to expand...

In the face of rising feed prices, dairy producers are seeking opportunities to feed low-cost forages now more than ever...

The cow-calf industry is set to see a few profitable years once again. The national beef cow inventory is at its lowest numbers in decades with USDA’s July 2023 count indicating a herd size 3% smaller than the previous year...

The objectives of feeding cows are to provide a nutritionally balanced and relatively homogeneous ration fed in a way that suppresses selection by cows, has roughly 2% residual in the feedbunk at the end of the day, and results in uneaten residue that is spread out along the bunk...

Many older perennial pastures could benefit from renovation. While we think of these as “permanent pastures,” we must realize perennial pastures evolve away from what was originally planted as they age...

Utilizing crop residue as a winter feed source is a common practice in the Midwest. In times when forage supplies are low and hay prices are high, crop residue is especially useful to offset...

High-quality forages are vital for dairy farm productivity and sustainability...

Dairy diets today typically contain 25% to 35% corn silage on a dry matter basis, and some may exceed these levels...