Latest News From Nutrition

Vomitoxin Makes Nasty Appearance for U.S. Farm Sector
Vomitoxin Makes Nasty Appearance for U.S. Farm Sector

A fungus that causes “vomitoxin” has been found in some U.S. corn harvested last year, forcing poultry and pork farmers to test their grain, and giving headaches to grain growers already wrestling with mass

Jumpstart Your Calves
Jumpstart Your Calves

Calves- they're not easy to raise and we don't get any payback for at least two years. They get sick easily and take abundant resources, especially time and money, to rear into productive contributors to the

Does Particle Size and Source of Undigested NDF Matter?
Does Particle Size and Source of Undigested NDF Matter?

Fiber in the diet for cattle is a necessary component for rumen health and has been measured using methods such as crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF).

Increase Vitamin E to Older Cows During Heat Stress
Increase Vitamin E to Older Cows During Heat Stress

Changes in life events and environment, such as parturition, milk production, and heat stress, substantially increase demands on the cow including her oxygen requirements.

Practical Phosphorus Reduction Practices Farmers Implement
Practical Phosphorus Reduction Practices Farmers Implement

Practices that can help reduce phosphorus loss from the field.

Fescue Toxicity Causing Cattle Deaths in Missouri
Fescue Toxicity Causing Cattle Deaths in Missouri

Extension specialists in Missouri say winter weather is aggravating the effects of cattle grazing endophyte infected tall fescue.

A load of Skittles spilled on a rural highway in Wisconsin and it had people wondering where they were headed. The answer: to feed cattle.
Mars Investigating Spilled Skittles Headed for Cattle Feed

A load of Skittles spilled on a rural highway in Wisconsin and it had people wondering where they were headed. The answer: to feed cattle.

Corn Hybrid Silage Trial Results: No Corn Dogs Here
Corn Hybrid Silage Trial Results: No Corn Dogs Here

After a several-year hiatus, Cornell University is once again evaluating corn hybrids for silage.

What are Safe Feeding Levels for Mycotoxin Contaminated Corn?
What are Safe Feeding Levels for Mycotoxin Contaminated Corn?

Several different Mycotoxin types can be found in grains under variable growing conditions.

University of Kentucky to Host Tall Fescue Pasture Renovation Workshop
University of Kentucky to Host Tall Fescue Pasture Renovation Workshop

Anyone who has spent a considerable amount of time around livestock or forages knows tall fescue is a double-edged sword.

Caring for Calves in the Winter
Caring for Calves in the Winter

The use of deep straw bedding and calf jackets, as well as providing extra calories during cold temperatures, will result in healthier calves and improved gains.

What is the right calcium level for a negative DCAD diet?
What is the right calcium level for a negative DCAD diet?

The best approach to reducing the incidence of subclinical milk fever is through prepartum feeding of a negative Dietary Cation-Anion Difference (DCAD) diet. Most industry people agree on that point, but differ on the p

Colostrum May Support Lifelong Nutrient Absorption
Colostrum May Support Lifelong Nutrient Absorption

New research continues to reinforce the importance of delivering high-quality colostrum to newborn calves to set them up for lifelong success. In his latest issue of Calf Notes, Dr. Jim Quigley discusses a study in Chin

Variation in Mineral Levels in Legumes
Variation in Mineral Levels in Legumes

Minerals make up a small portion of an animal's diet, but they play an important role in health, productivity, and reproduction. Understanding the mineral levels entering the diet via the forage source is importan

How do you feed cows in a robot?
How do you feed cows in a robot?

Q. What are some import feeding practices for dairy cows milked with robotic milking systems?

What to expect with the Ohio corn silage crop
What to expect with the Ohio corn silage crop

Corn silage yields will likely be quite variable across Ohio this year.

Muddy harvest, but dry corn silage
Muddy harvest, but dry corn silage

Dairy farmers across the Midwest are struggling with corn harvest, battling rainy days and muddy fields as corn silage continues to dry down. Rainfall totals have exceeded 2" or more beyond normal amounts.

What is an intensive milk feeding program?
What is an intensive milk feeding program?

Liquid rations have changed considerably for many U.S. dairy calves in approximately the past decade. New York calf and heifer specialist Sam Leadley looks more closely at what "intensive feeding" really mea

Are your cows getting enough water?
Are your cows getting enough water?

While dairy farmers and their nutrition consultants obsess over balancing rations to the milligram, water quantity and quality are often overlooked.

High-Quality Silage Making & Safe Practices: Both are necessities
High-Quality Silage Making & Safe Practices: Both are necessities

While quality is of utmost importance, making a pile that is safe for access should also be top priority.

The Penn State Dairy Heifer Diet Formulator
The Penn State Dairy Heifer Diet Formulator

The Penn State Dairy Heifer Diet Formulator (PSU-HDF) program encourages an approach to heifer feeding that is driven by the desire to precisely meet metabolizable energy and nitrogen needs of growing dairy heifers whil

Corn Silage: Predicting moisture level and harvest
Corn Silage: Predicting moisture level and harvest

With corn silage, you only get one shot to harvest so it's important to time it out right.

Silage Earlage Decision Aid
Silage Earlage Decision Aid

The Silage/Earlage Decision Aid calculator is a useful tool for crop producers and livestock feeders to estimate silage costs.

Carinata Meal Ensiled With Corn: Effects of fat content on fermentation & glucosinolate degradation
Carinata Meal Ensiled With Corn: Effects of fat content on fermentation & glucosinolate degradation

Carinata meal however has high concentration of a glucosinolate, known as sinigrin.

Oat and pea forage combinations
Oat and pea forage combinations

The maturity of forage pea and oat varieties, relative to each other, makes a difference in the final quality of harvested forage.

Grazing The Net: Milk replacer
Grazing The Net: Milk replacer

Does drinking a glass of milk make you feel guilty? (We don't either, btw.) A startup hopes their claims of guilt-free will help spur demand for their replica milk.

Pasture walk at Batdorf Dairy near Niangua, Missouri
Pasture walk at Batdorf Dairy near Niangua, Missouri

The August meeting of South-Central Dairy Grazers will begin with a pasture walk at 11 a.m., Aug. 24 at Andrew Batdorf's Dairy Farm near Niangua, Mo.

Calcium is the cornerstone to transition cow success

The transition period is the most challenging time during the production cycle of a dairy cow. One of the major determinants of whether a cow transitions properly is her ability to maintain normal blood calcium concentr

Scouting for aphids in corn
Scouting for aphids in corn

There are several species of aphids that may be observed in corn fields throughout the growing season.

Disease pressures drive forage production down
Disease pressures drive forage production down

Armyworms are negatively impacting hay yields in Mississippi

Dairy Forage Seminars focus on forage management
Dairy Forage Seminars focus on forage management

The World Forage Analysis Superbowl has announced its lineup for the 2016 Dairy Forage Seminars, held in conjunction with World Dairy Expo.

Alternative Forages: How does sorghum fit into California dairy systems?
Alternative Forages: How does sorghum fit into California dairy systems?

We've received a grant to look at the viability of sorghum silage in California dairy systems. This summer, we are looking to work with dairies that are growing sorghum for silage.

Importance of proper forage sampling
Importance of proper forage sampling

You have heard it said many times before, "the results are only as good as the sample that was taken". This is a reality for all feedstuffs especially where forage sampling is concerned.

Develop a feed usage plan
Develop a feed usage plan

Now's the time to start.

Take a BITE out of those dairy losses
Take a BITE out of those dairy losses

The headline of a recent business blog "The REAL shocking costs of dead inventory" by Eric Jensen may cause you to stop and think about how this issue could be related to dairy farms. In Jensen's blog,

Tracking forage quality at harvest, is it worth the effort?
Tracking forage quality at harvest, is it worth the effort?

Here at Miner Institute our silage packer Henry takes multiple hand grab samples of each field that goes into the bunker. This is for all cuttings, hay crop and corn silage. We've found value in tracking forage qu

Using your feed resources wisely, focus on feed bunk management
Using your feed resources wisely, focus on feed bunk management

Well-managed and properly implemented feeding programs are one of the cornerstones associated with profitable dairy operations. With feed costs representing approximately half of the cost for producing milk, profitabili

Why we process corn silage
Why we process corn silage

The main reason isn't what you might think.

New Thoughts On An Old Question: Should we feed forage to calves?
New Thoughts On An Old Question: Should we feed forage to calves?

Feeding forage to calves has been the subject of much debate over the years, in part because even though we know that fermentation of grain is essential for rumen development, sometimes in research and on farms calves f

Take a data approach to feeding strategies
Take a data approach to feeding strategies

Since feed represents such a significant expense to the dairy, evaluation of the ration and the cost effectiveness of each ingredient are critical to maintain optimal milk production, health and reproductive performance

Striking a balance between calf nutrition and health
Striking a balance between calf nutrition and health

Do high planes of nutrition in young calves cause scours?

Dried distillers grain may now be viable feed for dairies
Dried distillers grain may now be viable feed for dairies

Research from South Dakota State University indicates dried distillers grains could be a good fit for heifer rations.

Water availability critical for summer calves
Water availability critical for summer calves

In many climates, it's hard work keeping calves protected and alive through the brutal winter months. But summer poses its own management challenges. One of the biggest: keeping fresh, clean water available to you

Nutritional strategies for managing heat stress and immunity in dairy cows
Nutritional strategies for managing heat stress and immunity in dairy cows

Dairy producers, veterinarians and dairy nutritionists understand the impact that heat stress can have in decreasing milk production and dry matter intake, the most common symptoms for cows experiencing moderate heat st

5 Points to Help Assure Forage Inoculant Performance

Applying a forage inoculant to a crop at harvest requires a leap of faith, as the producer will not see the resulting silage until it is opened weeks, or even months, later.

Thinking about forage quality?
Thinking about forage quality?

Livestock production depends largely on the feeding program, and what you should feed your animals will depend on forage quality analyses.

Ensiling Carinata Meal with Forage: An option to decrease the glucosinolate content
Ensiling Carinata Meal with Forage: An option to decrease the glucosinolate content

Recent research results from the SDSU Dairy Science Department indicated that carinata meal (CRM) is highly degradable in the rumen and is a comparable protein source to soybean meal and linseed meal in total digestibil

Seeding-year harvest management in alfalfa
Seeding-year harvest management in alfalfa

For production, consider forage quality when selecting a harvest schedule.

Targeting dairy feeding programs for less feed waste or shrink
Targeting dairy feeding programs for less feed waste or shrink

Feed costs represent 40 to 60% of the total cost of producing milk on dairy farms in the US.