Dairy Nutrition
Just knowing that calves are being fed three quarts of milk replacer twice a day is not enough information.
The benefits of diverse plant species are well documented — yet sometimes diverse mixes can be difficult to manage due to differences in palatability and maturity dates.
It’s frustrating, it’s costly, and it happens a lot. The post-weaning slump can set back calves that were well-grown and healthy at weaning -- with illness, stunted growth and social maladjustment
An esophageal tube feeder can be a lifeline for young calves, delivering colostrum, milk or electrolytes when they are unable to suckle a bottle. But incorrect use of these feeders can be dangerous or even deadly.
When it is cold, cows can divert their energy into maintaining body temperature instead of producing milk. What can you do to avoid that?
Researchers at the Ohio State recently completed a study evaluating how dietary protein and amino acid supplementation influenced milk production during the first three to four weeks of lactation.
The world of warm season annuals is a new one for many farmers and so is the terminology associated with them.
Whether or not to feed hay to preweaned dairy calves is a longstanding debate, without an absolute answer.
Here is a bit of information for those producers that are considering planting alfalfa this year.
With milk prices predicted to remain extremely volatile during the first few months of 2021, producers are anxious to know what to expect when the feed bill hits the mailbox.
If you were not able to forward contract protein commodities early this fall, there are still a few affordable protein options.
Does increasing the volume of the liquid diet change other feeding behaviors in young calves? Canadian researchers recently examined whether feeding higher volumes of milk or milk replacer would suppress intake of start
The frequency of feed delivery influences a dairy cow’s eating behavior.
Helping older heifers grow, while at the same time not becoming too fat, is a delicate dance that challenges nutritionists and producers alike.
The next frontier will be an increased focus on feed efficiency and will also be centered on expanding the digestible fiber pool.
The Feed Emergency Enhancement During Disasters Act (FEEDD Act) would allow producers who are utilizing prevent plant to at least graze, hay or chop a cover crop to feed livestock.
Corn and soybean producers aren’t the only ones feeling the squeeze of wet weather. Cattle and dairy producers are left wondering what this means for their access to feed, and how soon they should lock in inventory.
Hay produced on irrigated grass and subirrigated meadows can be a potential supplementation source throughout Nebraska.
Producers can learn about growing corn for silage and feeding corn silage to cattle.
From what’s being observed in some south Georgia pastures this fall, oats are struggling, with growers seeing issues from cold damage, nutrient and moisture stress, and possible barley yellow dwarf virus.
A device about the size of an electronic key fob, paired with a smart phone, will allow livestock producers and consultants to conduct real-time on-farm feed analysis
Successfully preserving stalklage is not that different from making good corn silage or haylage.
Constant light pollution, particularly in large dairies operating around the clock, can be a problem.
Rapid growth of corn plants can lead to higher levels of lignification.
Making sure there are no amino acid deficiencies—particularly lysine and methionine--is the surest way to encourage milk protein production.
Candidates for extended dry periods are younger, lower risk, healthy cattle.
Using the right data to find and fix the problem is critical.
The additive reduces methane emissions and potentially increased feed efficiency.
There is still room for improvement to reduce incidence of scours and respiratory disease.
Dry cows should maintain a body condition score in the range of 3.0 to 3.25.