Feed & Nutrition

Since 1996, when bioengineered corn first appeared in commercial corn production in the U.S., corn grain yields have increased 2 bushels per acre per year.

Forage particle size is a “hot” topic on dairy farms. Nutritionists, veterinarians and dairy farmers are asking how long forage fiber needs to be. What it the impact of the fiber source?

Mycotoxin contamination, caused by molds and fungi that appear in feed, is an urgent concern in dairy rations across the country this year. A recent mycotoxin report warns contamination levels in the 2018 crop present a medium-to-high risk to livestock.

Various additives, including micro-organisms, enzymes and chemical compounds, have been added to forages to maintain or improve the nutritive value of a crop as silage. As is the nature of most biological systems, there can be considerable variation in the outcome of using these additives.

Precision agriculture has focused on optimizing efficiency. For crop production, yields can be obtained from the combine and integrated with soil nutrient data to characterize the response to changes in management strategies (spraying, harvesting, nutrient application, irrigation, etc.). Currently the highest resolution for yield, for the majority of farms raising alfalfa in Kentucky, is based upon the field level of data. Specifically, most farmers could specify the bales per field.

What’s in the box?

Forrest Gump’s momma always said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” In a way, feeding cows is the same. You never really know the true composition of the feeds and diet that make it to the bunk or what makes it into each cow.