Silage Management

Is Subpar Silage Fermentation Degrading Amino Acids?

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:42:38 GMT

The feed evaluation experts at Dairyland Labs, Arcadia, Wis., may be onto something.

In a recent bulletin , they noted that, since starting Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy evaluations just one year ago, they have observed that silage samples with high ammonia (or soluble protein) consistently contain lower amino acid levels. They noted some amino acids appear to be affected more than others.

The best guess as to why this may be happening is that amino acids are being deaminated due to poor or extended fermentation during ensiling. As protein is broken down by bacteria and fungi, deamination occurs. Deamination is defined as the process of an amino group being removed from a molecule, which converts the amino acid into ammonia.

Clostridium species are especially known for their proteolytic and deaminating qualities. Clostridia is an anaerobic microbe associated with spoilage of silage harvested at high moisture levels, and can even grow in well-packed silages if the pH is above 5.0.

It appears that – due to their chemical structure – lysine, methionine, and cysteine are more susceptible to breakdown by bacteria and fungi. Isoleucine, leucine, and valine are less prone to deamination.

The Dairyland Labs advisors noted that the alterations these changes may cause to a nutrient profile may not do much damage when they remain within “normal” ranges. But silage quality is rarely distributed evenly, and “the long tail of poorer fermentations can get ugly.”

They showed an example in which a ration’s amino acids and ammonia were moved from a one standard deviation above average to one standard deviation below average. Even this relatively minor change resulted in a change in Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) predictions of supplies of 44.1 grams less metabolizable protein (MP), 5.3 grams less lysine, 2.9 grams less histidine, 1.3 grams less methionine, and 2.1 pounds lower MP allowable milk.

Take a Buddy with You to the Bunker

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:38:04 GMT

Feed-out of new-crop corn silage has begun on most dairies, and it appears this crop may be more prone than normal to silage collapses.

Jordan Hunt, PAS, a northeast Iowa-based consultant with GPS Dairy Consulting, LLC , noted in a recent blog post that producers are reporting regular avalanches of a day’s worth or more of feed from the feed-out faces of silage bunkers and piles.

Hunt cautioned producers and their crews to be mindful of the safety hazards that silage can create. “Use a buddy system when working near the pile and managing the plastic,” he advised. “In the event something happens, one person can call for help.”

He also advised defacing silage so the top of the face is pitched back 2-3 feet from the base. “Undercutting” silage piles can lead to hanging shelves at heights as high as 30 feet, which Hunt reminded are up to 65% moisture, and thus very heavy and prone to collapsing.

Defacing a precise volume each day is also important. Hunt said if the amount for the day is short, avoid using a loader bucket on the face to grab a little more. “Either deface more, or if space allows, do a side-scrape with a wheel loader bucket,” he suggested.

If this year’s crop is showing instability, Hunt advised re-evaluating packing procedures next year, with a packing density goal of greater than 20#DM/cu. ft.

The late Keith Bolsen, silage expert and staunch advocate of silage safety from Kansas State University, promoted the rule-of-thumb to never stand closer to the silage face that three times its height. To safely collect samples, he advised staying away from the face and pulling samples instead from a loader bucket or sample pile that has been moved a safe distance away from the feed-out face.

Lallemand Animal Nutrition developed a comprehensive silage safety handbook authored by Bolsen, which addresses additional bunker and pile safety measures, along with safety education on silage harvest, equipment operation, and dangerous gases.

“I think we all understand the danger associated with this [silage collapses and avalanches],” stated Hunt. “But I do want to remind us all that it can happen in split second, and can be deadly.”

For more on silage, read:

6 Ways to Boost Performance and Lower Feed Costs

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 19:19:16 GMT

Feed costs will continue to be the No. 1 expense. Jim Salfer, Extension dairy educator with the University of Minnesota, offers some best practices to help producers lower feed costs. These recommendations can be implemented with minimal effects on performance in most herds.

Minimize Waste and Shrink — In one year, a 100-cow dairy can save $58,400 by reducing the shrink from high shrink to low shrink. Often, dairies have a shrinkage of 30% on forages with bunkers and piles, with 10% shrinkage on concentrates in commodity sheds. “This is the biggest and an easy way to reduce feed costs,” he says, stating that for forage stored in bunkers or piles, this is an insidious cost because you don’t write a check for it.
Maximize Homegrown Feeds —If you raise most of your own feeds, work with your nutritionist to maximize the value, he says. “If you are feeding purchased dry hay, consider reducing the amount and increasing the corn silage in the diet if adequate inventory is available. Even with a higher purchased protein cost, the total diet cost likely will be lower,” Salfer explains.
Optimize Bunk Refusals — “With excellent bunk reading and feed management, many have been able to successfully reduce bunk refusals to 2% or below for lactating cows. Feed can be fed to replacement heifers or the low group in a freestall barn,” he says. As the level of refusals is reduced, Salfer says it is important to have high-quality feeds, frequent pushups, strategies to maintain feed along the entire bunk and consistent feeding times.
Avoid Overfeeding Nutrients —All classes of animals should be fed at recommended nutrient requirements but not much above. In my opinion, heifer diets balanced considerably above national research council recommendations are a waste of nutrients. “Research shows that feeding at recommended levels is adequate for excellent growth,” Salfer says. “Review additives and determine if they are cost-effective in the diet.”

Dr. Mike Hutjens, professor of animal science emeritus from the University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana says concurs with Salfer that feed costs are the major costs on the farm.

“With feed representing half of total farm expenses, it’s vital to keep them under control,” he says. “The only reason to raise livestock is to increase return on crops raised on the farm.”

Independent agriculture business financial consultant, Gary Sipiorski, says knowing your costs is essential. He reports that feed costs range between 20% to 45% of the gross income, depending on how much feed you produce yourself.

“If you purchase all your feed, your feed cost will push to be around 50% of the milk check,” Sipiorski says. “Feed is the biggest cost to a dairy and each farm needs to individually evaluate depending on variables such as needs and forage quality.”

For more on nutrition, read:

A Dairy Farm Summer Camp: Fun for All Ages

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 15:17:44 GMT

Dairy farms are a hustling and bustling place. Cows are being milked, calves are being fed, and farm kids are often running around. This certainly is the picture of Berning Acres, located halfway between East Dubuque and Galena, Illinois. Located in the small town of Menominee, Matt and Natalie Berning, along with their five children, all play a role in their family farm that consists of 400 milk cows and 850 acres.

Berning Acres got its start by Matt’s parents, John and Ellen, who began milking 30 cows in the early 70s. John, a second-generation dairy farmer, grew up on his parent’s dairy farm in Wisconsin, and Ellen grew up as a daughter to an entrepreneur father and mother who owned a cheese factory, and several taverns. John and Ellen and their seven children worked together, side-by-side, milking cows and working in the fields.

It was no surprise that Matt fell in love with the cows. This was a life that he naturally stepped into. Before returning to the family farm, he graduated from Southwest Technical College with two degrees. One in dairy herd management and the other in agribusiness science and technology. Matt is thankful his parents encouraged new ideas to continue to grow and expand their dairy operation.

“Dairy farming was something I’ve always enjoyed,” Matt says. “I saw an opportunity to return home and modernize our farm to make it viable for future generations. I feel fortunate that my parent’s recognized my passion and encouraged me to pursue my desire.”

Matt and Natalie married in 2007. Natalie, who was not raised on a farm, stopped teaching school and redirected her energy and her time after their fourth child was born. Wanting her children to learn the lessons of responsibility and hard work, Natalie also knew it would be hard to give her children the tasks of milking cows and feeding calves when the farm already had six full-time employees.

Between cows, pigs, goats, ducks, sheep, chickens, and horses, the Berning children began learning responsibility and commitment by taking care of their ‘farm friends.’

“Matt and I want the kids to be outside and interactive on the farm. Adding the additional farm friends has allowed the kids to take ownership of the animals by having to do daily chores like feeding them and making sure their areas are cleaned and well maintained,” Natalie says. “They love showing off their animals to the campers, and any cousins or friends that are out at the farm.”

Fun For All Ages

According to Natalie, the natural next step for the family was to open the farm’s barn doors by launching a Farm Camp.

(Farm Journal)

“We literally always had people on the farm who seemed excited about what was going on,” she says.

Farm Camp began two years ago and allows campers to start with a few morning chores, like feeding the animals and collecting the eggs from the chicken coop.

(Farm Journal)

“We also have organized activities each day,” Natalie says. “Like making ice cream or butter from scratch, outdoor games, scavenger hunts and more.”

Blown away by the interest, the Berning’s sold out the first year with 60 campers.

“We kept our number pretty low the first year,” Natalie says.

(Farm Journal)

The feedback from camp-goers was overwhelmingly positive, with double the participants this summer, as the Bernings hosted another round of Farm Camp. The kids truly loved it, but also so did the adults. So much in fact, that a new idea was birthed to introduce an adult version of camp, Night at the Farm, where wine and charcuterie and beer and cheese curds led to deeper conversations about dairy.

“They basically get all the experience – feed a calf, milk a cow, help with farm chores and really see what a dairy looks like in the 21st century,” Natalie explains. “It’s fun and an enjoyable experience for all.”

(Farm Journal)

With the help of their calf manager, Berning Farm also offers individual farm tours.

“Our calf manager is amazing and genuinely enjoys leading these tours,” she says. “On the tour, they get the same hands-on-learning experience.”

Able to see things differently, not growing up on a farm, Natalie says she takes it all in and calls raising a family on a dairy farm a true blessing.

“We hope that visitors will leave with some great knowledge about agriculture, farm animals, and farm life and really a deeper appreciation for that wholesome nutritious glass of milk,” she says.

The Bernings share that their on-the-farm tours is now scaled to their comfort level and plan to continue offering all three tours - Farm Camp, Night at the Farm and farm tours to the public.

(Farm Journal)

“Our children are still having fun with it,” Natalie says. “All our kids are the age of the campers, so they’re having a blast, and all have their role in helping out.”

Consistent Cow Routines Depend on the Right Mix

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 21:53:37 GMT

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.

“Changes in particle size and mix quality cause changes in sorting behavior, and that changes eating, resting, and rumination time, which in turn can lower milk production,” said John Maltman, ruminant nutritionist with Highline Manufacturing of Saskatchewan, Canada. Maltman shared his ration- mixing advice on a 2021 World Ag Expo webinar.

“Cows respond to physical characteristics of the diet as well as nutrient levels,” Maltman shared. He said dry-matter intake (DMI) is a function of meal size and frequency, which in turn are affected by animal and dietary factors affecting hunger and satiety. Specific physical and chemical characteristics of rations that can affect DMI include:

Fiber content
Particle size
Particle fragility
Silage fermentation products
Concentration and type of fat; and
Amount of protein and its degradability

Maltman said consistent cut lengths ranging from 5 to 19 mm won’t deter consistent intake, but poorly mixed rations will. Causes of such mixing issues might be things like faulty equipment or settings; frozen silage; or using extremely long-stemmed forages.

“In those situations, eating time changes, because cows detect that difference,” stated Maltman. He said inconsistency in mixing quality can negatively affect DMI by reducing additional intake that would otherwise be possible, because cows spend more time sorting and less time eating.

DMI then spirals downward because cows leave the bunk before they have maximized their intake. Satiety is triggered at about 88% of total rumen capacity. When cows stop eating at this stage because they feel “full enough,” there still is about 3 gallons of rumen headspace available that they could fill if the ration were more appealing and they weren’t preoccupied with sorting.

In a recent field survey of commercial Canadian dairies, average day-to-day variability in TMR rations was greater for physical characteristics (particle size distribution) than actual ration composition.

“Consistent mixing will maximize resting time and voluntary intake; inconsistent mixes and changeability will affect net daily intake,” Maltman declared.

Maltman shared data from a cow resting study conducted at the Miner Institute in New York. Those researchers found that each hour of additional resting time over a baseline resulted in a daily gain of 3.7 pounds of additional milk per cow.

While factors like social structure, feeding space provision, and ventilation also influence the potential for maximum DMI, Maltman said achieving a consistently blended mix of every TMR batch, every day, still is paramount to capturing a herd’s full potential for intake and milk production.

Don’t Lose Another Cow to Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 19:28:00 GMT

An emerging, 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.

According to Dr. Angie Rowson, a board-certified dairy practice veterinarian who has been working with HBS for nearly two decades, there is still not much known about HBS. She says that producers have either never heard of this disease, have sporadically seen HBS on their farm, or are constantly battling the disease.

HBS is characterized as an acute and sometimes massive hemorrhage in the small intestine, which can subsequently lead to the formation of intraluminal blood clots and obstruction. Furthermore, affected cows suffer from the collective effects of blood loss, intestinal obstruction and necrosis of the bowel.

As a veterinarian, Rowson’s boots on the ground work in central California allowed her to see firsthand the impact of this fatal disease in dairies, as she performed several HBS necropsies in dairy cattle. “One herd I worked with was losing eight to 10 cows a month from HBS,” Rowson says. “We wanted to get to the root of why this was happening. Not just because of the financial loss, but also because of the pain associated with the disease.”

Despite being a fatal disease, little attention regarding funding and research has been conducted. Many details surrounding HBS, including contributing factors, continue to be a mystery. “It is frustrating that no one in the U.S. is doing any new research on HBS,” Rowson adds. “The problem is we cannot recreate it in a lab, so we don’t know exactly what causes HBS. We only know bits and pieces and that the cause is multifactorial.”

Dr. Scott Bascom, technical services manager for Phibro Animal Health, agrees that much is unknown about what causes some cows to develop HBS and not others. “HBS cases are most common following stressful periods in a cow’s lactation cycle such as calving and early lactation, when cows are subject to several different stressors. These stressors can reduce immune function,” Bascom says. “The cow’s immune system plays a role in whether a cow becomes an HBS cow. If the cow’s immune system becomes compromised the cow is more susceptible to the effects of invasive molds, toxins and pathogenic intestinal flora which can lead to HBS.”

Common Denominator

Any dairy breed can be associated with HBS, though Brown Swiss have been reported to be more predisposed. While HBS is reported to be sporadic, some dairies will have multiple cases within a few days. Other common denominators of cows with HBS are:

Second lactation or greater (although cases of younger lactation cows have had HBS).
Under 100 DIM (However, cows are usually between 100 and 120 DIM when diagnosed with HBS, though HBS can occur at any time during the lactation cycle.).
Producing larger volumes of milk and consuming larger volumes of feed.
Immunosuppressed.
Larger, higher production herds.

Rowson states that often cows who are higher in production levels consume a large volume of feed, and the diet at that stage of lactation is often high in protein and energy but lower in fiber. She also notes that feed is passing through the intestine at a faster rate. However, little research has been conducted to determine what impact this has on developing HBS. “Research from University of California-Davis shows that the bleeding starts in the wall of the intestine, but we don’t know what starts that process,” Rowson states. “Maybe the diet the cow is consumingor her intestinal motility contributes?”

Although it is more common in the fall and winter, HBS can happen any time of the year. Bascom says this is likely a result of dairies starting newcrop feed coupled with inadequate fermentation. Feed management goes beyond silage, and Bascom reminds producers that mold can occur in other feedstuffs. “Silage management practices at harvest and feed out can minimize the growth of molds,” Bascom says. “At harvest, put it up at the right moisture, pack it and cover it. At feed out, manage the face to reduce mold growth and avoid feeding moldy silage.”

HBS Symptoms

Diagnosing HBS based on clinical signs alone is generally not possible, because these symptoms can also be found in other diseases. Clinical symptoms connected with HBS include:

Sudden onset of depression.
Dehydration.
Decreased feed intake and milk production.
Abdominal distension and pain.
Either no feces or a decreased amount of feces that are dark and contain clotted blood

An additional symptom associated with HBS is cold extremities. A rectal examination may reveal distended loops of the small intestine or even no stool, due to the blockage. Often, most cows appear to be in good health before the development of this disease, hence the name of “sudden death disease,” as many times a producer finds a cow down or even dead.

Rowson notes that often HBS is either under- or over-diagnosed, and she says the latter is frequently the case. “Producers do not perform a necropsy and chalk a sudden death cow to hemorrhagic bowel syndrome,” she says.

A proper diagnosis is often made through necropsy, while ultrasound is only able to make a definitive diagnosis of HBS a quarter of the time. Exploratory surgery is needed to confirm and treat HBS, but this can be expensive and is time-sensitive, as cows would need to be rushed to a veterinary medical school.

Rowson notes that statistics show that the University of Wisconsin veterinary school has a high success rate with surgical treatment, but they have also reported a high rate of recurrence, with nearly 40% recurring within the first 12 months. “We don’t know exactly why some cows that survive the initial surgery develop HBS again. It’s been speculated that there might be a genetic predisposition to HBS or maybe, management practices designed to achieve high milk production increases the risk of developing HBS, and these cows are going right back into that environment,” Rowson states.

Management Tips

Make no assumptions, Rowson advises. When a cow dies of what is believed to be HBS, “open her up,” she says. “It could be a Hardware Disease or abomasal ulcers or something else.”

Bascom agrees and says producers? that feed additives can’t properly evaluate whether the product is helping minimize HBS if they don’t accurately know why cows are dying. “Oftentimes, producers might make an abrupt change to the ration, taking out a supplement because they feel like it’s not working,” Bascom says. “However, without performing a necropsy, they easily could be dealing with a completely different cause of death.”

Recommended management tips to help prevent HBS:

Make sure feed is in front of the cow 22 to24 hours a day.
Push feed up frequently.
Prevent sorting and slug feeding.
Ensure enough fiber is in the ration.
Use a consistent time for feeding, day-after-day.
Limit spoilage with haylage and corn silage by ensuring proper fermentation, packing right, chopping at the optimal moisture level, using an inoculant.
Remove mold before feeding – pitch the crust on the silage and side walls.

Takeaway Advice

Both Rowson and Bascom encourage limiting stressors that cows encounter. In addition to monitoring feed quality, be sure to evaluate and manage the cow’s environment for potential stressors. Excessive cow movements that disrupt an established social order can cause cows to go off feed. Minimizing overcrowding, focusing on cow comfort and keeping heat stress at bay can lead to a less stressed cow and, therefore, help her maintain an overall healthier immune.

Furthermore, minimizing the stressors that cows are subject to, especially around the time of calving and early stages of lactation, is essential. Bascom notes that some cows are more susceptible to the effects of stress than others which can affect immune function and predispose cows to developing HBS as well as other disorders.

Several feed additives are in the marketplace claiming to boost the immune system. While feeding additives can help boost immune health, Bascom reiterates that identifying and minimizing stressors is key. “A cow can live in the best environment and still be exposed to stressors during a normal lactation cycle, because events such as calving and dry off are stressful,” Bascom adds. “Try to recognize and manage the stressors, so when a cow experiences stressful events, like calving, she is better positioned to handle that stress.”

To better understand this fatal intestinal disease that could be impacting your herd, don’t make assumptions. Learn what the true cause is behind the death of any cow, and then manage the symptoms from there.