Latest News From Animal Nutrition

Supplementing early lactation dairy cow diets with bile acids could provide a pathway to suppressing fatty liver and ketosis, and ultimately boosting milk production and profitability.

When cattle diets are changed without an adaptation period or if cattle have sudden access to a new feedstuff, health problems can follow.

Testing forage and feed for nutrient quality helps ranchers ensure they are meeting nutrient requirements for optimum beef cattle performance.

Feed additives can be included in dairy cattle diets for a variety of reasons. However, feed additives should not be considered a cornerstone to any farm feeding program.

When calves on grass drop like flies, have minimal gains and many carcasses are condemned on the rail, Kansas State University experts uncover the unfortunate cause.

Could probiotics improve early calf growth? Researchers think so.

While “high-risk” cattle are often given high levels of hay or forage to aid in the transition to a milled diet, a study at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researches ways to increase performance.

When cows get below their lower critical temperature and get into cold stress, they can adapt by increasing feed consumption to increase their basal metabolic rate and increase heat of fermentation.

When a significant number of cattle died in less than two hours, a number of questions are raised. Kansas State University experts discuss this toxicology case and the answers that were found.

Determining how much forage cows will eat on a per day and per month basis for the duration of winter always requires a little “cowboy math”.

Determining proper mineral supplementation merits more thought than simply going to the feed store, grabbing a few bags or a pallet of the mineral they have on hand and throwing it in a lick tub.

Estimating forage usage by cows is an important part of the task of calculating winter feed needs. Hay or standing forage intake must be estimated in order to make the calculations.

Creating a herd where all the individuals are healthy and normal increases your chances of economic success.

Grazing regrowth on irrigated alfalfa fields is likely in fall grazing plans for many producers. However, alfalfa has several challenges to grazing from animal and plant health perspective.

Purina introduces EfficienZ, a non-nutritive feed additive available in select supplements marketed by the company.

Researchers at Virginia Tech University have investigated what effects infusing extra acetate or propionate, or lowering the pH, would have on thermodynamics of VFA in the rumen.

Probiotics fit well into an effective feeding strategy that can be implemented in conjunction with infrastructure considerations to combat the high cost of heat stress.

All feed types are costing more, and there's no way around that. However, several management practices can be used to potentially lower costs without sacrificing cow health or the animal's next lactation.

Dr. Pedro Melendez, a veterinarian and dairy specialist at Texas Tech University, addresses five sources of shrink that can cause substantial losses in terms of feed used, ration formulation and poor performance.

Bulls don't always transition well from one farm to the next. Some extra TLC could mean the difference in whether that animal stays in good condition and maintains good sperm quality and quantity or struggles to adjust.

Cattle grazing pastures with high soil-test phosphorus may be getting enough of the nutrient from the grass to eliminate the need for a phosphorus feed additive.

TMR consistency and composition are important to efficient and reliable nutrient delivery in lactating cow rations. But the impact of those factors actually can span much further.

There is considerable variation in the mineral composition of small grain forages, depending on management, growth conditions, and soil mineral content.

While competition is great on the football field or basketball court, dairy cows forced to compete for feed and water is a no-win proposition.

Anti-caking agents make the pellet manufacturing process easier, and can help prevent ground feeds from doming, bridging, and sticking to equipment.

Many producers assume providing minimal protein supplementation to target approximately 1.0 pound/day gain during the winter is the most economical system. However, research data would suggest otherwise.

Colostrum plays a large role in the health of a newborn calf. Preparing for calving season starts well before the first calf hits the ground.

Incidence rates for displaced abomasum (DA) range from 1% to 6%, and up to 90% of DA's happen within the first 30 days in milk.

As feed prices currently challenge U.S. livestock producers, Feedipedia can be a resource for incorporating non-traditional feedstuffs into innovative rations.

The basic principle of limit feeding is to feed corn (or other concentrated energy source) and a supplement in just enough quantity to meet the animal’s requirement for maintenance or a targeted level of weight gain.

Feed efficiency is a key profit driver. Genetics and genetic tools exist to build cattle that are highly efficient and meet or exceed the carcass quality targets that earn packer premiums and satisfy consumers.

“The more we understand about how specific nutrition components influence health and performance responses, the more we can support cows in their production cycles.”

With the average frost date upon us, prussic acid will be (or already is) an issue in certain forages. Prussic acid is found when susceptible plants are under drought conditions or after a light frost.

KineticVet announces immediate availability of Bovi-Trace Drench for beef and dairy cattle.

Penn State Dairy Extension specialist Virginia Ishler said current conditions are mimicking those of 2012, when feed prices soared to unprecedented highs.

Join Drovers editor Greg Henderson and experts from all segments of the beef value chain to better understand the current and future dynamics of this crisis at 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 5, for this free discussion.

With the marketplace signaling higher prices for corn this fall, many beef producers will likely look at whether to use more wheat in their feed rations.

Reduced performance or ‘Summer Slump’ is associated with decreasing forage quality during the late summer.

Dr. John Goeser of Rock River Laboratory hosts feed hygiene webinar as part of a seven-part mycotoxin webinar series on Phibro Academy platform.

When commodity feed prices become high, cattle producers should consider options for getting more out of their livestock feeds. Using other methods to get more nutrients out of the feed is now cost effective.

While your dairy clients aren’t able to control what they receive for their milk, they are able make slight adjustments to the protein and fat levels in their bulk tank.

A high level of crude protein helps support development of the gastrointestinal system, especially important as calves go through the weaning process.

Researchers at the Ohio State recently completed a study evaluating how dietary protein and amino acid supplementation influenced milk production during the first three to four weeks of lactation.

Whether or not to feed hay to preweaned dairy calves is a longstanding debate, without an absolute answer.

As 2020 comes to an end the Bovine Veterinarian editors have gathered up some of the top tips published this year that focus on the nutritional needs of cattle.

The next frontier will be an increased focus on feed efficiency and will also be centered on expanding the digestible fiber pool.

Pastures stressed by drought and/or overgrazing this fall more than likely will experience a delay in grazing readiness in 2021, irrelevant of the amount of snow received this winter and rainfall received next spring.

Develop feeding plans now to maintain body condition and reproductive performance.

An esophageal tube feeder can be a lifeline for young calves, delivering colostrum, milk or electrolytes when they are unable to suckle a bottle. But incorrect use of these feeders can be dangerous or even deadly.

Fescue is hardy, but can harbor a fungus that causes health issues for cattle. It also crowds out native plants, which can harm pollinator populations. A Virginia Tech study aims to solve both problems.