I recently visited a dairy producer running 200 cows having problems maintaining butterfat at 3.9 per cent in his 35-kg milk producing herd. He asked me to walk the lactation barn and see what I could find out. It took about 20 minutes to walk the feed bunk and cows, and in the end, I […] Read more
Maintain forage fibre in a dairy diet
Dairy Corner with Peter Vitti
Consider weaning calves early this fall
Creep feeding gives calves a chance to grow, takes pressure off cows
Recently, I was at drought ground zero in southern Saskatchewan and passed a group of about 50 blonde and whiteface cows and calves grazing dried-out pasture. The thin condition of the cows caught my attention and their calves looked gaunt and on the small side. My immediate reaction was this cow-calf herd was a good […] Read more
Keep bulls in breeding condition
While bulls usually have about 10 months of the year off, they shouldn’t be ignored
This past spring, a friend who runs about 300 beef cows spent about $60K on a select number of crossbred red Angus yearlings and two-year-olds. He had good luck with them during this summer’s breeding season, but since has literarily forgotten about them (and the rest of his bulls) for the next nine to 10 […] Read more
Know your lactating dairy diet costs
Look to find a balance between very expensive and very cheap rations
Occasionally, I talk to dairy producers about the financial aspects of operating a barn, aside from dairy nutrition. All producers wish to reduce their lactating feed costs. One producer I know wants to switch to a notorious cheap protein supplement, while another wants to hire a private dairy consultant and tender out all dairy feed […] Read more
Feedlot Holsteins need powerful feeding programs
With proper ration and management, dairy steers make good beef
As I travel across Western Canada, I see more beef producers raising Holstein steers in their feedlots. Years ago, I didn’t think of Holstein steers as potentially profitable cattle, because I had a lot of misguided prejudices. However, my attitude did a complete “180” turnaround when I started working with a few successful Holstein producers […] Read more
Avoid giving your baby calves gut aches
It takes time for a calf stomach to develop to handle certain feeds
I visit literarily hundreds of dairy farms across Canada each year. On most, pre-weaned dairy calves are raised away from the main lactation barn or older replacement heifer facilities. Whether these baby calves are housed in hutches, group pens or brand-new calf barns, when I find a group of calves that are sick and not […] Read more
Controlling liver flukes in beef cattle
Parasite often not identified until after an animal dies
A couple of years ago, a beef producer from southeast corner of Manitoba showed me a test tube filled with water. It contained a worm that was about three inches long, one inch wide and flat enough to almost see through. He told me that it was a deer liver fluke that the vet had taken it […] Read more
Beware of grain bloat in self-fed cattle
Feed roughage and avoid very fine grain particles
Self-feeders are both a blessing and a curse. A handful of self feeders makes life a lot easier by augering in tonnes of creep or grower ration into each one for growing beef cattle. They can also be a curse when a few cattle become victims of grain bloat. Since nobody wants to lose animals […] Read more
Old school nutrition works after calving
It doesn't have to cost a lot to maintain proper body condition
Already, I know a few producers have had a couple of sleepless nights checking cows at calving. Most have told me all has gone well, because their cows came through the winter in good shape and were well-prepared for this year’s calving season. Moving forward, they now feed their calved-out beef cows diets which contain […] Read more
Controlling hairy heel warts in dairy cattle
A clean barn is part of preventative measures
Since the new year, I have travelled to many dairy farms across Western Canada and conducted a personal survey about lameness in dairy cattle. At each visit, I asked producers “What was their biggest cause of hoof problems?” Almost unanimously, their answer was “hairy heel warts!” This is no surprise, since multiple surveys conducted over […] Read more
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