dairy cattle Archives - Page 13 of 14

Maintaining good nutrition with products such as protein blocks helps cattle as they head into winter.

Keep cows fed heading into winter

Each thin cow will need an extra bale over winter just for maintenance, never mind rebuilding

By Heather Smith Thomas October 21, 2015

Cows need higher-quality feed, and more of it, as pregnancy progresses. Nutrient requirements in early gestation are not much different from maintenance requirements, but as the fetus grows larger the cow’s nutrient needs increase. After calving, when a cow is lactating, she needs a much higher level of protein and energy than when she is […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Poultry/Eggs, Reuters

Farmers, upset over TPP talks, take cows to Parliament

By GFM Network News September 29, 2015

Ottawa | Reuters — Unhappy Canadian dairy farmers parked dozens of tractors in central Ottawa and walked their cows down the main street opposite Parliament on Tuesday to protest trade talks they said could cripple them. Canada is one of 12 Pacific Rim countries trying to nail down a trade deal in Atlanta this week. […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle, The Dairy Corner

Pay attention to post-weaning programs for dairy cattle

You want replacement heifers to grow at an optimum rate, but not too fast or too slow

By Peter Vitti September 28, 2015

Almost every time I visit a dairy barn, I make a point of looking at post-weaned replacement heifers as well. Raising young dairy heifers can be one of the greatest challenges even on the best-run dairies. I believe implementing a good post-weaning heifer program makes good sense and contributes to their future success as high-milk-producing dairy […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, The Dairy Corner

Test for, treat ketosis early in dairy cattle

It is easy for cows to slip into a negative energy balance and lose condition

By Peter Vitti July 6, 2015

Years ago, I would lean over the feed bunk and smell the breath of a ketosis-suspect dairy cow. It convinced me that it had either bad breath or glue (acetone) breathing ketosis. Since then, I’ve come a long way. Dairy nutritionists like myself and dairy producers now have access to modern BHB (Beta-hydroxybutyrate) milk tests through […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, The Dairy Corner

Feed more milk as temperature drops

In general terms, increase the amount of milk (or milk replacer) fed by about  two per cent for every 1 degree C when the temperature drops below 20 C

By Peter Vitti March 9, 2015

Newborn dairy calves, until about a month old raised in an unheated or cold facilities, often struggle with poor growth rates and are more susceptible to disease. By assuring a high plane of dietary milk energy, dairy producers can largely avoid bringing a winter energy crisis inside the calf barn. In order to survive the […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, The Dairy Corner

Avoid too much fat for early-lactation cows

By Peter Vitti February 26, 2015

In the last year, there has been a few supply-management incentives for dairy producers to increase milk and milk fat yield in their milk cows. Because nutrients such as energy largely drive dairy performance, many people are increasing dietary energy density by adding different types of edible fats to early lactation diets. Despite being a […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle

Proper rations key to milk production and reproduction

Better rations before and after calving produce a bigger calf and set  cows and heifers up for the next breeding season

By Peter Vitti February 17, 2015

Beef cows after calving require a higher plane of nutrition compared to previous months of gestation. Much of this heightened nutrition is geared to drive milk production, help first-time mothers grow and prepare the entire cow herd to cycle and get rebred within 80-90 days, postpartum. Therefore it is important to feed them well-balanced diets […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. burger demand a boon to New Zealand dairy farmers

By GFM Network News February 3, 2015

Wellington| Reuters –– Supersized U.S. demand for burgers is a godsend for New Zealand farmers struggling with weak dairy prices but now earning good money for cows sent to slaughter for beef. Years of low cattle supplies have kept U.S. beef import prices near a record high of around $3 per pound hit last September, […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle

Measure the moisture in forage rations

Moisture has the greatest impact on feed consumption, nutrient intake for dairy cows

By Peter Vitti November 5, 2014

It’s that time of year when harvested forages are tested for their nutrient content and an emailed back analysis sheet can list up to 80 laboratory results for each forage sample submitted. Much of this data can be inputted into dairy ration balancing software to develop on-the-farm TMRs that supply essential nutrients in the right […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, News

Do not feed mouldy corn to dairy cattle

Mould count tests are inexpensive, but their usefulness is limited, since most moulds are not poisonous

By Peter Vitti October 24, 2014

Last year’s weather was not particularly kind to growing corn on the eastern Prairies. A late spring planting, cold weather in July, and topped off by a cloudy fall created millions of bushels of corn that was not initially dry enough for storage. Some of this wet corn was dried down and augered into a […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. grains: Chicago soybeans dip in choppy trading as Greenland dispute and global supply weigh

U.S. livestock: Cattle rally after screwworm scare

Agriculture Minister hosts agriculture leaders, launches policy framework talks

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