Dairy Performance

As the newest member of my company’s youngstock nutrition team and the most recent returning member to my family dairy, here are some best practices for hiring and inspiring your calf team from the eyes of a young professional.

Each automated milking system startup can be broken into the five P’s: pre-startup, people, pace, pellets/partially mixed ration (PMR) and post-startup. Focusing on the five P’s can minimize stress and help the farm team and cows easily adapt to an automated milking system.

Much of the Midwest has seen a rise in heat and humidity in the past couple of weeks. The effects of summer heat and humidity are well-documented in lactating dairy cows as we see decreases in dry matter intake and subsequent production losses. Newer research points to the value of heat abatement and cooling practices for dry cows.

Heat stress presents many challenges for dairy farms, including diminished milk production, reduced reproductive performance and stressed cow wellbeing. Long-term impacts can be felt for years in terms of the health and productivity of offspring.

For producers in the Federal Milk Marketing Order 30 (FMMO 30) or surrounding markets, a vast majority of the milk check is dictated by volume and value of milk fat and protein. While the pay price for milk fat within the FMMO 30 for May was strong at $3.46 per pound, milk protein is coming off record low in April of $0.83 per pound. May FMMO 30 price rebounded to $1.73 per pound with projections for June and July FMMO 30 protein values expected to be closer to $2 per pound, but milk fat is still the big dollar component.

By Katelyn Goldsmith, Vita Plus | Data is abundant on today’s dairy farms.  It can serve as a powerful tool and also be overwhelming at times.  Have you looked at a spreadsheet or report and felt a little lost?  What does this data mean?  What is it telling me?  What do I do with the information?  Following are six steps to unravel your farm’s data and put it to work.

By Barry Visser, Vita Plus | High oleic soybeans have been around for more than 10 years, mostly in the eastern United States.  More recently, they have worked their way into the Midwest market, catching the attention of the dairy industry.

By Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Ph.D., and Owen Mickley | Efficient, upfront fermentation is important to the nutrient profile of a forage. When forage is ensiled, bacteria ferment water soluble sugars into lactic acid. This causes a reduction in the pH of the forage mass, which prevents the growth of undesirable microorganisms during storage. These lactic acid-producing bacteria naturally occur on the plant in the field and may be applied via an inoculant. A more efficient fermentation will retain the digestible nutrients for use in the rumen.

By Jon Rasmussen, Vita Plus | While farms may “break the rules” of forage storage every now and then, the goal should always be to SAFELY store forages with nearly zero oxygen exposure.  If you find yourself frequently breaking the rules, it might be time to resize your feed pad.  Following are four rules to help you in the planning process.

By Noah Litherland, Ph.D. | Heifers have specific nutrient requirements for maintenance, growth and eventually pregnancy. Forages serve as the foundation for the heifer diet and must be selected with heifer nutrient requirements in mind.

By Bob Hagenow, Vita Plus | Here is an unarguable fact: A high-functioning and effective farm team – with all team members in alignment and focused on achieving established farm goals – has a distinct competitive advantage over a farm that operates without a team.

By Barry Visser, Vita Plus | Corn silage harvest is at the doorstep for many dairy farms across the Midwest.  The growing season has been nearly ideal for some while others have dealt with drought and, more recently, hail damage.  These growing differences, and other management considerations, make it difficult to have one common recommendation for corn silage cutting height.  There is a trade-off between reduced yields and higher quality as more stalk residue is left in the field.

By Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, Ph.D., Vita Plus | The initial phase of making silage is the aerobic phase and it is characterized by the presence of oxygen. The aerobic phase begins when the plant is cut in the field and continues until the silo is sealed (either the plastic is laid on top of the silo or the bag silo is sealed) and oxygen is consumed by the upfront fermentation.

Sarina Sharp, Ag Business Solutions | High inflation and interest rates should have minimal impact on landowners, asset holders and businesses with debt interest rates locked in.

By Jenn Coyne, Progressive Dairy | Change is difficult, whether it is a change in business or transitioning the business from one generation to the next.  Develop a plan and effectively communicate between parties to avoid a failed transition.