Dairy Nutrition
Feeding dairy-beef cross steers a low-starch, forage-based diet early in life may be the secret to fewer liver abscesses, healthier rumens, and heavier carcasses without sacrificing performance.
Wageningen University is developing an AI-powered dashboard to help feed manufacturers identify potential safety hazards such as mycotoxins, dioxins, and heavy metals early in the production process.
What happens inside a cow’s udder when nutrition takes a hit? A new study reveals how quickly the mammary gland adapts—and what it means for milk production.
As dairy producers strive for efficiency and higher profitability, the famed “7 lb. target” has become a focal point in dairy production conversations.
Japanese researchers have created a no-touch cow-tracking system using multi-camera technology, offering 90% accuracy for better health monitoring and herd management.
Any hiccup in fresh-cow health is likely to put reproduction in jeopardy.
That perfectly balanced ration, carefully curated by your nutritionist, looks ideal on paper -- or, more likely, in your feeding software. But how often does the prescribed formulation actually make it to your cows?
Calf raisers are becoming increasingly cognizant of the need to optimize lifetime dairy cow performance by feeding them generously in their first weeks of life. But how, exactly, do you know how much to feed?
From the moment a calf is born, its journey to becoming a productive member of the herd begins.
Each year, billions of pounds of almond hulls are incorporated into lactating dairy rations, providing a valuable source of nutrients.
When cows accumulate too much copper, it piles up in the liver. The result can be liver damage at the cellular level, liver necrosis, and impaired liver function.
Total hay production in 2024 was up 3.3 percent year over year and combined with May 1 hay stocks up 46.6 percent over 2023 levels. Total hay supply by 7.9 percent compared to year earlier levels.
Dairy nutrition has moved beyond just inorganic versus organic trace minerals.
Cold, snow, wind, and more – winter in the northern climates brings extra challenges for dairies and their animals.
Tracking rumination during the dry and transition periods helps producers identify at-risk cows early and implement preventive measures for better health and productivity.
If you’re thinking about installing an autofeeder system in your calf program, you’re headed into a fairly momentous management shift. Dr. Melissa Cantor, Assistant Professor in Precision Dairy Science at Penn State University, shares advice on smoothing the transition.
If a dairy cow had a central “mission control” in her body, it would be the rumen and the complex system of microorganisms that reside within it.
The 2024 World Forage Analysis Superbowl marked the 40th anniversary of the contest rewarding the quest to produce quality forages
Nutritionists and researchers from as early as the 1950s have been investigating isoacids in dairy nutrition. Now, decades later, their potential role in boosting rumen function, dairy cow productivity, and even environmental sustainability is being visited with renewed interest.
As the world rapidly changes, so too does the landscape of the global dairy industry. While excitement abounds, Mary Ledman, a Global Dairy Strategist for Rabobank, emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying drivers of market demand
Calves need water year-around, including winter. Research evidence suggests 100°F should be the target temperature for calves’ water, matching their body and rumen temperature.
The global food paradox involves reimagining our production methods, leveraging trade more strategically and prioritizing sustainable practices. By doing so, we have the potential not only to feed the growing global population but to do so in a way that sustains our planet for generations to come.
It has been widely observed by dairy producers and nutritionists that reduced production responses – in terms of milk yield, components, or both -- are almost a given when soybean meal is swapped out for DDGS.
The essential oil from oregano is proving beneficial for calf diets. Two studies have shown it to have positive impacts on calf health and performance as an alternative to antibiotics.
Could increasing colostrum volume delivery help calves better navigate cold stress? Brazilian researcher Carla Bittar shares her insights on adjusting colostrum dosage for winter-born calves.
The end of summer means more than cooler nights, changing leaves, and football Fridays. It also brings with it a downward shift in colostrum production on dairy farms.
A dairy cow’s #1 job is to produce milk, and she needs a lot of water to do that. But two studies recently published in the Journal of Dairy Science show that water access and consumption is not an equal-opportunity proposition for cows.
When it comes to forage and cover crops, winter rye offers rock-star versatility that makes it easy to love.
Harvesting and storing high-moisture corn can help producers get a jump on harvest; avoid drying costs; and put up a highly palatable, digestible, nutritious feedstuff.
Warm milk is necessary to maintain calves body temperatures and conserve energy.