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From Agri-Nutrition Consulting, Inc. Cow and Heifer Management
Balanced Ration: ANC develops balanced rations with profitable levels of milk production and optimal herd health in mind. Most lactating cows will eat to satisfy energy needs if presented with a sound and balanced ration. However, cows producing over 85 pounds of milk often times cannot consume enough to meet their energy needs. They may utilize body energy reserves, mostly fat, to make up at least part of any energy deficiency. One pound of body fat may be utilized to effectively produce 7 to 9 pounds of milk, depending on fat test. Dry Period: High producing cows should be in good body condition before they go dry, with a score of 3 to 3.7. Each body condition score change represents 120 to 150 pounds of body weight gain or loss. Obesity should be avoided because cows will be more susceptible to going off feed, ketosis, calving difficulties, and other infections (such as mastitis). Low producing and late lactation animals can consume more energy than is necessary; thus body condition should be monitored closely with these animals. Avoid high corn silage diets at this time! NDF Digestibility: When ration digestibility is low, dairy cattle usually cannot eat enough to meet their nutrient needs. Lower digestibility based on the Schwab-Shaver NDF digestibility tests lowers the predicted NEl in the ration. High producing cows cannot meet their energy requirements in some of these rations, but the addition of high energy by-products and supplements will help. Conversely, rations that are relatively high in digestibility may be consumed at lower levels since energy may be met with less intake. Quality rations for high producing dairy cattle have NEl levels of 0.76 to 0.80. Remember that NEl is a calculation and may not be comparable between rations developed by different programs or consultants. ANC rations are comparable with the exception of whether or not NDF digestibility testing has been done. NFC and NDFe: Remember, rations can be too high in energy and non-structural carbohydrates (NFC) and may not have enough effective fiber (NDFe) which can create acidosis, leading to depressed intakes, milk production, and fat test. This also adversely affects herd health. ANC uses NFCe which refers to effective NFC in ration balancing. For example, ground high moisture or dry corn have greater energy values than high moisture or dry rolled corn. Forage:Grain Ratio: Many producers and consultants like to look at forage to grain ratios, but be aware that these numbers, like NFC and NEl, are not comparable between different ration programs. The problem with this parameter is that not all forage is forage or all grain is grain! For example, up to 40% of corn silage could actually be grain! Cottonseed acts more like forage, as do some other by-product and commodity feedstuffs. ANC has unique formulas that better predict Forage:Grain Ratio's. With these numbers, high producing herds will be in the range of 43-50% forage. Do not overlook the physical aspects of the ration, such as particle size and proper mixing! This helps us determine how to run the ration! Additive's: ANC's Micro NRG Plus or Dairy HP-Bio, both of which contain high levels of live cell yeast culture, bacteria and enzymes, can increase digestibility and DMI. Products such as sodium bicarbonate or sesquicarbonate help with buffering which also has a positive effect on intake. These additives, along with others, can lead to an increase in milk production and/or fat and protein test. Anionic products fed during the prefresh period results in higher DMI after calving. Treating forages with inoculant also results in higher quality feeds which leads to increased DMI and production. Environmental Factors: A substantial decrease in total ration dry matter intake may occur at over 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 80% humidity. Poorly ventilated feeding or housing areas not only increase environmental heat and humidity, but also allow strong odors, such as ammonia to become concentrated. This can cause a decline in consumption because animals will spend less time in those areas. The seasonal effect on DMI usually means higher consumption during cool weather and depressed intakes during hot and humid weather. Also, in the fall of the year, especially northern climates, we have a lot of forage changes, along with decreasing daylight, both reducing DMI. Remember to have your lighting checked to make sure you have 15-20 foot candles of light for milking cows 16-18 hours a day. Water: Water consumption and quality are often overlooked as important factors affecting dry matter intake. In order for animals to receive a plentiful and clean supply of water, watering devices should be functioning properly. Water needs to be checked routinely for chemical and bacterial contaminants, and for the presence of stray voltage, which can greatly reduce intake. Other Factors Related to Feed Quality: DMI can be depressed when heating, spoilage, and mold occur in ensiled feeds or TMR's. Ensiled feeds that have undergone abnormal fermentation may depress intakes. Fermented forages high in butyric acid or even acidic acid also fall into this category. The presence of mycotoxins, alkaloids, and tannin, can also cause problems. Many times we simply must avoid using problem feeds for milk cows, especially early lactation or high producing cows, as well as prefresh cows. Some factors increased DMI without added production. Some specific molds or mycotoxins, and TMR's that are too fine, can increase the rate of passage. In these cases the cows are trying to eat to energy needs and the ration may need to be fortified with additional fat. Particle length may need to be increased based on Penn State shaker box results. I wish the best for you, your families, and your cows, and look forward to visiting your farm. You can contact me at ANC or at my home office if you have questions! © Copyright 2009 by Agri-Nutrition Consulting, Inc. |
