Articles
Straw The Counterproductive Ingredient In Dry Cow Rations
Click here to view as a pdf: Straw The Counterproductive Ingredient In Dry Cow Rations By Erik Brettingen, B.S. The Dry Cow Diet The dry cow diet is arguably the most important ration on the dairy farm; setting the stage for a successful lactation. Cows that freshen with metabolic problems of ketosis, milk fever or a…
Ask The Vet / Ask The Nutritionist
Click here to view as a pdf: Ask The Vet Ask The Nutritionist “I would like to test some feed stuffs with Dairyland Labs. Which test package do you recommend?” -Wondering in Wisconsin- Crystal Creek® recommends the Select Package. The Select Package (listed as N7 NIR Select on the Dairyland Labs Submission form) is recommended over…
Electrolyte Use
Click here to view as a pdf: Electrolyte Use By Kelly Hubert, B.S. Electrolytes are an important tool to use when supporting scouring and dehydrated calves. Scours are the leading cause of death in young calves, primarily because scours cause calves to rapidly dehydrate. It is important to monitor calves daily and treat them quickly when…
Spring Pasture: A Great Asset
Click here to view as a pdf: Spring Pasture A Great Asset By Erik Brettingen, B.S. The spring flush of pasture is a great resource for producer profitability, animal health, and productivity. While pasture can provide a great deal of opportunity as an economical feed source, it is important to ensure the proper management of this…
Improving Reproduction In Your Dairy Herd
Click here to view as a pdf: Improving Reproduction In Your Dairy Herd By Kelly Hubert, B.S. Reproduction plays a crucial role in the profitability and sustainability of a dairy farm. Finding ways to improve the reproduction of a herd can be challenging because there are many variables that can affect a cow’s ability to get…
Forage Sampling
Click here to view as a pdf: Forage Sampling Updated 2022 By Alex Austin, B.S. It is important to sample forages before adding them to a livestock diet. Sampling allows producers to have a balanced ration for their livestock and test for mycotoxins. It also gives farmers a snapshot into their agronomy, harvesting, and storage…
Can Calf Barns Really Have Too Much Fresh Air In The Winter?
Click here to view as a pdf: Can Calf Barns Really Have Too Much Fresh Air In The Winter By Ryan Leiterman, D.V.M. Cold temperatures are here and winter is quickly approaching. As the temperatures drop, calf barns are closed up and the ventilation rates are turned down. As an industry we do this reflexively, but…
Anti-Nutritional Trends And Thoughts With 2017 Feeds Across The Midwest
Click here to view as a pdf: Anti Nutritional Trends And Thoughts By Dr. John Goeser, Phd, PAS & Dipl. ACAN-Rock River Laboratory, Inc. Contributing Editor Historically, mold, yeast and mycotoxins are thought of as the primary contaminants in feed that rob high performing dairy cattle of health and nutrition. More recently, stress and pathogenic bacteria…
The Importance Of Forage Testing
Click here to view as a pdf: The Importance Of Forage Testing By Dan Leiterman The age old question of “How often should I test my forage?” has a different answer for every operation. Field sizes, crop varieties, harvest timing, and storage methods play an important role in determining forage testing needs. It is important to…
Staying On Track: Reviewing Proper Milking Procedure
Click here to view as a pdf: Reviewing Proper Milking Procedure By Kelly Hubert, B.S. There may be a time on every farm where the milking protocol is not implemented or followed properly. This could be the result of a person in a hurry to finish chores or a new employee still learning proper protocol. It…