Latest News From Dairy Nutrition

What’s the Best Route to Mimicking Transition Milk?
What’s the Best Route to Mimicking Transition Milk?

Numerous studies have now shown that feeding colostrum replacer to mimic transition milk has beneficial effects for preweaned calves.

Dairy Feed Co-products: The Ultimate Recycling Story
Dairy Feed Co-products: The Ultimate Recycling Story

It's a secret that needs to be shared - Dairy cows can take the “leftovers” of human food and fiber processing and turn them into high-quality protein.

The Evolution of Milk Fever Mitigation
The Evolution of Milk Fever Mitigation

A significant body of research now indicates that keeping phosphorus low in the pre-fresh ration has a positive effect on blood calcium levels. 

New Indoor Feed Centers Planned in California
New Indoor Feed Centers Planned in California

California’s Central Valley will soon be home to a new model in dairy feed production: indoor feed centers.

The Microbiome: The Next Big Frontier in Cattle Improvement
The Microbiome: The Next Big Frontier in Cattle Improvement

Is there a drug-free way to improve cattle health, feed utilization, reproductive efficiency, and environmental impact, all at the prenatal level? Researchers at North Dakota State University think so.

Liver Biopsies Can Reveal Nutrition-Health Links
Liver Biopsies Can Reveal Nutrition-Health Links

Taken periodically on specific groups of animals, liver biopsies can identify nutritional imbalances that can lead to health and performance problems.

Beef-on-Dairy: Why Feedlots Crave This Important Information
Beef-on-Dairy: Why Feedlots Crave This Important Information

As beef-on-dairy animals within the feedlot system continue to rise, feedlots are craving two key pieces of information to help ensure these crossbred cattle thrive.

New Dairy Cattle Nutrition Model Coming From Cornell Soon
New Dairy Cattle Nutrition Model Coming From Cornell Soon

For the past 13 years, Cornell researchers have been developing the latest, highly anticipated CNCPS version 7.

6 On-Farm Priorities to Help Drive Success This Year
6 On-Farm Priorities to Help Drive Success This Year

With the start of the new year comes the setting of resolutions for personal habits, behaviors and practices. Dairies can and should do the same for their operations. Here are six places to start.

U.S. Harvest Analysis Reveals Variable Mycotoxin Risk, Alltech Reports 
U.S. Harvest Analysis Reveals Variable Mycotoxin Risk, Alltech Reports 

Droughts, high rainfall and other weather events affecting the corn harvest have made it even more critical than ever to analyze mycotoxin risks across the nation. Here's the latest report from Alltech's analysis.

Blame it on the Nutritionist
Blame it on the Nutritionist

While it's easy to immediately place blame on your nutritionist for diet related problems, these three problem solving steps need to be taken before you jump to conclusions.

Interest Growing in Inulin for Lactating Dairy Rations
Interest Growing in Inulin for Lactating Dairy Rations

Inulin is a type of soluble fiber found in plants that is not digestible by humans. However, this not-so-talked-about substance is showing considerable promise in enhancing lactating-cow nutrition.

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How a Spreadsheet Can Help Simplify Calf TPI Tracking

Routinely monitoring transfer of passive immunity is an effective way to evaluate colostrum management and identify calves with failure of passive transfer.

Two Reasons Why Feeding Hay Could Help Alleviate Cross-Sucking
Two Reasons Why Feeding Hay Could Help Alleviate Cross-Sucking

Capturing the benefits of socially rearing calves while avoiding the negative effects of cross-sucking is a challenge. An alternative to keep calves busy? Hay.

New Federal Feed Additive Legislation Proposed
New Federal Feed Additive Legislation Proposed

A bi-partisan coalition of U.S. representatives has proposed new legislation to streamline FDA approval of some feed additives.

ADM to Acquire Dairy Flavor Firm Revela Foods
ADM to Acquire Dairy Flavor Firm Revela Foods

Global grains merchant ADM said on Monday it will acquire Revela Foods, a Wisconsin-based developer and manufacturer of dairy flavor ingredients and solutions, to bolster the company's flavors portfolio.

The Sweet Spot for Oral Calcium Supplementation
The Sweet Spot for Oral Calcium Supplementation

Is the blanket approach of giving calcium boluses to every fresh cow really the best route to prevent milk fever?

FDA Grants Approval for Replacement Heifer Starter Enhancements
FDA Grants Approval for Replacement Heifer Starter Enhancements

A popular combination of enhancements in calf starter rations has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for replacement heifers.

Calf Microbial Supplements: Sorting out the “Pre,” the “Pro,” and the “Post”
Calf Microbial Supplements: Sorting out the “Pre,” the “Pro,” and the “Post”

In both human and veterinary medicine, we’re hearing more about the benefits of gut supplements to support health, performance, and well-being.

Can We Improve Colostrum Through Dam Nutrition?
Can We Improve Colostrum Through Dam Nutrition?

The more we learn about the myriad virtues of colostrum, the more of it we want. And if it also could be even higher quality and/or produce higher offspring immunity, that would be even better for calves.

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World Forage Analysis Superbowl Winners Announced

The 2023 World Forage Analysis Superbowl, held in conjunction with World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis. in October, once again produced a host of stunning forage quality results.

Waste Milk: Freebie or Foible?
Waste Milk: Freebie or Foible?

Waste milk is not necessarily the “free lunch” it is often perceived to be, and may actually be a quite harzardous and costly liquid ration option.

National Dairy Checkoff’s CEO, Barb O’Brien Talks Sustainability, Retail Future
National Dairy Checkoff’s CEO, Barb O’Brien Talks Sustainability, Retail Future

When it comes to whether the glass is half full or half empty, Barb O’Brien, the president and chief executive officer of Dairy Management, Inc. says the opportunity for dairy is overflowingly abundant.

NO3-N or NO3-: An Important Distinction
NO3-N or NO3-: An Important Distinction

Whether forage test results report nitrate results as nitrates or nitrate nitrogen makes a big difference.

Look for Subclinical Stages of Hypocalcemia When Metabolic Alkalosis is Present
Look for Subclinical Stages of Hypocalcemia When Metabolic Alkalosis is Present

The problem occurs in nearly 50% of cows in the first 24 hours after calving, says Jesse Goff, DVM and ISU professor emeritus. He details four nutrition strategies to prevent or treat the problem so cows aren't culled.

Organic Valley Partners Up on Seaweed Feed
Organic Valley Partners Up on Seaweed Feed

Organic Valley, the nation’s largest farmer-owned organic cooperative, is partnering with Hawaiian seaweed grower, Symbrosia, to test the viability of feeding seaweed as a means of mitigating livestock methane emissions.

How the Feed Industry Can Embrace the Brave New World
How the Feed Industry Can Embrace the Brave New World

The way feed is grown, manufactured, stored, transported, and formulated into rations all are open to monumental, technological transformation.

Calves May Have to Share Their Colostrum with Humans
Calves May Have to Share Their Colostrum with Humans

Colostrum’s myriad benefits for calves may be transferrable to an entirely different field: human health. Researchers are discovering the benefits of colostrum in both health nutrition supplements and therapeutic agents.

This Year's Corn Silage May Not be as Concerning as You'd Think
This Year's Corn Silage May Not be as Concerning as You'd Think

The unique growing conditions of the 2023 crop year have a lot of dairy producers on edge about the quality and safety of their new-crop corn silage. But the experts advise that there’s probably little need to panic.

Acidification Allows 24/7 Milk Access for These Calves
Acidification Allows 24/7 Milk Access for These Calves

Mercer Vu Dairy wanted to utilize group housing and waste milk to raise their preweaned calves with round-the-clock access to milk. Here's how they came up with their own one-of-a-kind system.

Consider Planting These Cover Crops After Silage Harvest
Consider Planting These Cover Crops After Silage Harvest

As silage harvest season is underway, don’t let your fall cover crop plans fall to the wayside.

Oat Shortages May Dictate Starter Grain Alternatives
Oat Shortages May Dictate Starter Grain Alternatives

In these tumultuous times of drought, global unrest, and supply chain disruptions, feed grains may not be as plentiful, available, and affordable as we have traditionally enjoyed.

Drought-stressed Corn Silage Produces Nutritional Changes
Drought-stressed Corn Silage Produces Nutritional Changes

With drought bearing down on much of the country this summer, the incoming corn silage crop is going to require some close nutritional evaluation.

The Global Feed Commodity Crystal Ball
The Global Feed Commodity Crystal Ball

By 2031, an estimated additional 71 million tons of animal protein will be needed globally, thus boosting demand for livestock feed commodities – mostly corn and soybeans.

5 Ways to Help Minimize Feed Refusals
5 Ways to Help Minimize Feed Refusals

With no end to the higher feed cost trend in sight, farmers are looking at ways to get the most out of their rations while minimizing wasted feed.

5 Questions to Ask Before You Buy a New Feed Additive
5 Questions to Ask Before You Buy a New Feed Additive

Feed costs are at record highs and a new wave of feed additives are on its way into the market. Consider asking your salesperson, advocate, or consultant these five simple questions before purchasing a new feed additive.

In Search of the Maternal “Goldilocks” Diet
In Search of the Maternal “Goldilocks” Diet

What’s the perfect close-up ration to optimize calf health -- something that’s not too much of this or too little of that, but “just right?”

Glamour Magazine’s Dairy Renaissance
Glamour Magazine’s Dairy Renaissance

Sporting a vintage “got milk?” t-shirt while vacationing in Italy, celebrity Hailey Bieber garnished attention by Glamour magazine. This led Glamour to run an entire article talking about dairy’s Gen-Z reawakening.

Seven Tips to Help Calves Beat the Heat
Seven Tips to Help Calves Beat the Heat

The heat is on, and calves feel it, too. Here are five strategies to help calves cope as summer sizzles on.

2023 Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference Three-Minute Thesis Contest
2023 Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference Three-Minute Thesis Contest

The inaugural edition of the Three-Minute Student Thesis (3MT) contest with a poster component was held in conjunction with the 2023 Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference in Dubuque, Iowa on June 7-8.

Bupleurum Extract – A Heat Stress Antidote?
Bupleurum Extract – A Heat Stress Antidote?

A popular Chinese herbal supplement is being evaluated as a potential feed additive to mitigate the effects of heat stress in dairy cattle.

Carbon Friendly Can Be Budget Friendly, Too
Carbon Friendly Can Be Budget Friendly, Too

You might say Shawn Saylor was regenerative before regenerative was cool. The Rockwood, Penn. dairy producer has used no-till farming methods for as long as he can remember.

U.S. Senators Introduce Bill Giving Farmers Better Access to Feed Additives
U.S. Senators Introduce Bill Giving Farmers Better Access to Feed Additives

The bill would offer a pathway for manufacturers to seek FDA approval of additives tied to improving the efficiency of meat and dairy production.

Drones Hone in on Silage Inventories
Drones Hone in on Silage Inventories

What if you could accurately measure your silage pile inventory with a few clicks of a button? With today's drone technology, you can.

6 Ways to Boost Performance and Lower Feed Costs
6 Ways to Boost Performance and Lower Feed Costs

Feed costs will continue to be the No. 1 expense. Jim Salfer, Extension dairy educator with the University of Minnesota, offers some best practices to help producers lower feed costs.

Dial in on Feed Efficiency
Dial in on Feed Efficiency

Producers know all too well that once the feed truck comes down their driveway, a bill will follow. The rising cost of feed has forced dairies to dial in on efficiency to help boost overall profitability for the farm.

Management, Planning Key to Forage Quality and Production
Management, Planning Key to Forage Quality and Production

Tightening profit margins behoove growers to pay careful forage options, micronutrients, plant health and productivity. Partnering with agronomists, nutritionists and dairy advisors is an important piece of the puzzle.

How Did Your Corn Grow in 2022?
How Did Your Corn Grow in 2022?

Despite increased yields recorded in 2022, the total cost of producing a ton of corn silage increased by 27%, from $34 per ton in 2021 to $43 per ton in 2022.

How Managing Forages Can Impact Feed Costs
How Managing Forages Can Impact Feed Costs

The best way for producers to improve feed efficiency and lower costs is to increase forage quality.

Indiana Dairy Farmers Excited to Be Part of the Indy 500 Winner Circle
Indiana Dairy Farmers Excited to Be Part of the Indy 500 Winner Circle

A winning tradition unfolds in the midsection of the country each Memorial Day weekend for the biggest motorsports event in the world. The Indy 500 is a tradition that Indiana dairy farmers get to help orchestrate.