Feb. 29 2024
The lack of price-supportive grain news means that feed prices have settled into a weaker pattern in recent months and are set to continue their declines
Feb. 19 2024
An effective feeding program must be an area of focus
Feb. 12 2024
Gearheads like myself understand that horsepower and torque measure two different things
Feb. 9 2024
Not long ago I opened a cupboard to grab a coffee mug and noticed a blue-green tint to a bread loaf on the middle shelf above the mugs
Jan. 15 2024
There is no question which ration on a dairy receives the least attention. Often overlooked is the diet for the far off dry cows
Jan. 4 2024
Efficiency is the name of the game on dairies no matter what resource you’re talking about
Dec. 29 2023
Over the years, I have come to believe that the efficiency of converting feed to milk is perhaps the key indicator of dairy profitability
Oct. 16 2023
Today’s political climate seems to feature one surprise after another. Congress shocked the country late last month by voting in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion to avert a government shutdown...
Oct. 9 2023
Transition cows face one of the most difficult turnabouts. As soon as the calf is born, they naturally move from no milk production to a significant ramp up both in quantity of milk and the energy required...
Oct. 2 2023
A quick internet search showed me that the term rumen bypass protein was first used in the 1980s. Though it may not be the most perfect technical description, it certainly has staying power
Sept. 28 2023
Since I was an undergraduate student in college, I have always been very passionate about forage quality and ruminant nutrition. Almost 25 years ago, I started my research internship at the USDA Agricultural...
Sept. 18 2023
Nearly every dairy farmer will tell you that one of the most critical times of a cow’s life is around calving. The weeks preceding and following calving have been well-detailed in research. That...
Sept. 11 2023
There are several reasons why fall is my favorite time of the year. Dropping temperatures, cooler mornings, turning leaves, and perhaps most importantly, football. To be sure, the September games can feel...
Aug. 31 2023
The concentration of neutral detergent fiber, hereafter referred to as fiber or NDF, is the major determinant of the digestibility and energy concentration of a feed
Aug. 21 2023
August is always a difficult month for a dairy cow. In my experience, heat stress seems to have some cumulative risk for cows
Aug. 10 2023
There is no doubt that many dairy nutritionists are leaving or have left a footprint in the area of dairy cattle feeding. Most of these nutritionists are or have been academic professors who performed...
July 31 2023
Many complex systems make up the lactating dairy cow. For years, scientists have studied the transition from the dry period to lactation — exposing one puzzle piece at a time to create an image of...
July 27 2023
In cattle rations, vitamins play an important role in cattle health, production, reproduction, and more
July 20 2023
“Vitamins are not that difficult compared to everything else you have to do to get a good diet, but they still deserve some thought,” said Bill Weiss during the July Hoard’s Dairyman...