Feed & Nutrition

High-producing dairy cows are more susceptible to negative impact from stressors in their feed and in their environment. But what matters for performance and efficiency is how the cows respond. Feeding the right natural bioactive substances can help the animal adapt its response in a way that helps maintain milk quality and component yields. This article focuses on how to adapt to the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) for profitability.

This 2018 forage season was again a challenging one for producers across North America. In some areas, there were weeks of heavy precipitation, leading to saturated soils and even flooding. Other parts of the region had an uncharacteristically cool spring, with some sown crops needing replanting, which in turn led to a late harvest.

Findings from studies conducted by leading research universities and pioneers in trace mineral nutrition suggest sulfate trace minerals may actually cause more harm than good when it comes to animal performance and producer economics.

A cow feeding program is only as good as the as-fed ration. No matter how good things look on paper, the reality of the cow diet is determined, day in and day out, when feeders prepare and deliver the actual rations. If that as-fed ration deviates from the formulated one, the cows aren’t receiving the optimal nutrition you think you’re providing them.

The first edition of the International Silage Conference (ISC) in 1972 – called “Silage Seminar” – was held in Edinburgh and was open exclusively to British researchers. The conference has since evolved and is now held every three years and hosted by various countries throughout the world.