Tag: nutrition

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Laboratory data from total mixed ration (TMR) samples have potential value when evaluating consistency and accuracy of the diet that was delivered to a pen of cows including:

1. Assessing within bunk variation in nutrient delivery. When evaluating consistency of TMR mixing and delivery, samples are taken at various locations across the bunk, analyzed for nutrients or

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The goal of every dairy feeding program is to develop a low cost diet that meets the nutritional requirements of cows while optimizing milk production and cow health. In most conventional herds, this is accomplished by feeding a totally mixed ration (TMR) where all the ingredients are mixed together and delivered to the cow. …

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Corn silage supplies energy and physically effective fiber to high-producing dairy cows. Production of high quality corn silage reduces purchased feed costs from grain and byproduct supplements, and thus can increase profitability for dairy producers. Several harvesting practices influence fermentation and digestibility of corn silage. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review selected corn …

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Take Home Messages

• Fermentable carbohydrates, such as starch, sugar, and fiber provide energy for dairy cows.
• Dairy cows do not have a starch requirement. Thus, dietary starch can be reduced successfully when economic conditions or inventories justify it.
• A common strategy to reduce dietary starch while maintaining lactation performance is to replace starch sources (e.g. corn)

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Introduction

Short-season forages provide dairy producers an excellent opportunity to supplement forage supplies when needed during specific seasons, while adding flexibility to forage production systems. The yield and nutritive value from these forages is highly dependent on management. Warm-season or cool-season annual species can fit into a double-cropping or triple cropping system, or integrated into cropping …

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During the fall of the year, the risk for frost poses some concerns for forages fed to dairy cattle. The damage from the frost can certainly affect the levels of dry matter (DM) and nutrients in the plants, but depending on forage type, the risks for prussic acid or nitrate poisonings may exist.

Please check this …

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Watch this video by Maegan Weatherly, PhD student at the University of Illinois, to learn about managing water for dairy cattle. She addresses areas such as cleanliness, dissolved minerals, and how best to ensure that there’s enough water available for all of your cows.

 

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This article is part of our series of original articles on emerging featured topics. Please check here to see other articles in this series.

Providing the correct amounts of bioavailable trace minerals in diets is necessary for healthy, productive dairy cows. Negative impacts relative to the cow, environment, and profitability can occur when inadequate or excessive amounts of bioavailable trace minerals are fed. The 2001 Dairy NRC (Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, 7th Revised Edition) established requirements for …