Since 2011, dairy cows evaluated using genetic testing has doubled every five years to exceed 1 million annually. That reduced sire generation interval to the point where genetic improvement is at the biological limit.
In a year with rising commodity prices and limited availability, strategically feeding forages may offer the best option to deliver supplemental nutrients using existing infrastructure and equipment.
With much of the US cow herd in some form of drought the odds of thin cows heading into weaning season are high. This month let's look at practical approaches to wrangling the challenge of dry pastures and thin cows.