Latest News From Dairy Nutrition

Keep an eye on water intake and feedstuffs. Avoid vaccinations when heat levels are high. Address the environment for management steps you can take to improve cow comfort.

Young animals often benefit from stemmy, lower quality forages. WIth regard to nutrition, this may seem counterintuitive but research indicates that's the case.

A high incidence of sole ulcers in a dairy herd is probably not the fault of the ration.

In the quest to find alternatives to antibiotics to fight disease in dairy calves, essential oils are the subject of a growing body of calf health research.

A protocol overhaul helped the team at Singing Brook Farms, Imler, Pa., up their game in colostrum delivery. Two of their key managers share how they now seamlessly deliver high-quality colostrum to every newborn calf.

Providing free choice water to newborn calves has been shown to deliver a wide array of benefits in terms of calf health and performance. But it’s also a huge challenge for some farms in the winter.

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.

Habits formed early in life – whether good or bad – often carry through to adulthood. Like little children, calves, too, need to be trained on positive behaviors, including the way they eat.

More and more farms have made the switch from feeding calves individually to group autofed systems. However, disease detection in group-housed calves remains a challenge. Could autofeeders help detect sick calves?

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

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 intricacies of transition-cow nutrition and its role in lactation success may be made a bit easier with the Liver Functionality Index.

The rumen may be taking center stage in digesting another global challenge: plastics

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

Growing the ideal heifer is an ever-changing goal. A research team from Penn State University and the University of Florida recently explored the impact of bodyweight at first calving on milk yield and herd longevity.

It’s currently a seller’s market for qualified ruminant nutritionists, especially in the dairy industry.

They’re a danger to milk cows, to be sure. But mycotoxins in feedstuffs also can be damaging to the health and development of calves and heifers.

A highly fatal intestinal disease of adult cows, Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome (HBS), draws concerns from dairy producers, veterinarians and nutritionists, as it is also known as the sudden death disease of dairy cattle.

Prepackaged colostrum replacers are an easy way to quickly feed colostrum to a newborn calf. However, while they do come with many benefits, there are a few potential negative aspects of utilizing this nutritional tool.

Most research recommends 5-7% sugar as an upper limit. However, cows can certainly handle lots of sugar in the diet.

New Research from the University of Illinois finds that diets containing consistent energy levels and a rumen supplement during dry periods may be key, rather than a gradual increase method.

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.

Prevention is a key component to addressing the issue of hypocalcemia, including the subclinical stage.

The common industry practice of feeding first-day colostrum and then switching calves directly to whole milk or milk replacer may be under review.

When New York farmer Kelly Hendrickson was told she would have to start dumping milk, her milk inspector planted a seed in her mind.

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.

Michigan State University has been awarded two separate $1 million grants to help fund research that aims to improve dairy cow feed efficiency.

Michigan State University has been awarded two separate $1 million grants to help fund research that aims to improve dairy cow feed efficiency.

A group of Chinese dairy researchers recently examined whether the presence of antibiotics in the liquid ration impacted the growth, ruminal function or gut microbial population of preweaned calves.

Forage sorghum silage in the Texas High Plains is a viable option with sugarcane aphid control, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service study.

A European research team led by world-renowned calf and heifer researcher Alex Bach has investigated a new method for delivering fat that may have merit for commercial application.

A new study from the University of Illinois shows that clay has additional benefits for overall cow health.