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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2020 |
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BOTTOM LINE Thursday, December 3, 2020 SECTION E
Sharing ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.
Feed to maximize protein yield Optimizing intake goes beyond diet formulation. Providing a good feeding environment is often as important as formulating an adequate diet because a cow’s feeding environment affects how the diet is utilized.
LUIZ FERRARETTO
Feeding for milk components has been an indispensable practice to optimize dairy profitability. Even though milk fat is usually prioritized, current trends with milk-protein prices have generated more interest from dairy producers and nutritionists to optimize milk-protein Ferraretto yield. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Marketing Service’s “Class and Component Prices Report,” protein prices from June to October 2020 averaged $4.60 per pound. That value is about 80 percent greater than was observed across the same months of 2019, which was $2.58 per pound on average. Many factors affect a cow’s ability to produce more milk and milk components. Maximizing consumption of dry matter plays a major role in improving milk and milk-protein yields. Optimizing intake goes beyond diet formulation. Providing a good feeding environment is often as important as formulating an adequate diet because a cow’s feeding environment affects how the diet is utilized. Consider which management practices affect intake and-or protein yield.
PDPW
Most of the feed pushed away from the bunk is displaced by cows within the first two hours of feed delivery. Regular feed push-ups promote optimal feed consumption, cow health and productivity.
in Vermont and New York to compare nutritional strategies and management practices with production of de novo milk-fatty acids, or those fatty acids synthesized by the mammary gland. The study found that herds with greater concentration of de novo fatty acids coincided with greater milk-fat and -protein yields. From a management perspective multiple factors create an environment that maximizes rest, rumination and milk-components production. Stall-stocking density, feeding frequency and feedbunk space are all associated with milk-components yield. Ensuring fresh well-mixed feed is always available for cows Feeding management is critical for health and productivity. That explains why feeding is key twice rather than once each day Researchers from the Miner is associated with milk-compoInstitute surveyed dairy farms nents yield; the delivery of fresh
feed incentivizes cows to return to the feed bunk. Another way to improve consumption is with frequent feed push-ups. Cows are prone to sorting and selecting feedstuffs; that behavior often pushes feed away from the bunk. Push-ups reposition the feed so it’s reachable to cows. The first two hours after feed delivery are the most important because most feed displacements occur during that period. Overstocking stalls beyond 115 percent and allowing less than 18 inches per cow of feed-bunk space may also compromise consumption and increase competition for feed. Competition often results in slug feeding – larger but less-frequent meals. That makes cows more susceptible to subacute ruminal acidosis because a greater amount of feed is being digested in the rumen at a given time.
Feed excellentquality forages Feeding the rumen to optimize microbial-protein synthesis will support greater milk-protein yield. Greater consumption of dry matter ensures more digestible feed is available for microbial digestion and growth. Regardless of forage choice, improvements in fiber digestibility are associated with greater intake, milk and milk-protein yields. Additionally excellent-forage diets containing reduced-digestible fiber are associated with increased eating time and lesser consumption of dry matter. Perhaps cows are spending time chewing or sorting the diet while at the feed bunk. That occurrence at the expense of resting time may impair milk-protein yields. Another important aspect of
forage production is particle size. Particles must be coarse enough to serve as physically effective fiber and stimulate rumination but not too coarse to induce sorting. Adequate physically effective fiber promotes a healthy rumen environment and is of even greater importance under scenarios of increased stocking density. Other factors that improve milk-protein yield include feeding diets balanced with rumen-protected amino acids, as well as improving rumen-degradable starch in diets that are currently providing sufficient physically effective fiber. To boost milk-protein yield cows need a feeding environment that allows them to eat and rest, in addition to a well-balanced diet that provides required nutrients while stimulating rumination and a healthy rumen environment. Luiz Ferraretto is an assistant professor in the department of animal and dairy sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a ruminant-nutrition specialist for UW-Division of Extension. Email ferraretto@wisc.edu to contact him.
PEOPLE PERSPECTIVE
Give with thoughtfulness W
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hen this article hits mailboxes there will be about 20 days remaining until Christmas. While 2020 has been a year to remember, those of us in agriculture can probably agree the year is closHANK ing out more WAGNER optimistically than was anticipated in early March. Because Christmas is just around the corner many of us have an increased awareness about the people and things that are most important to us. Gift giving has become a central theme of this season; some have already completed their holiday shopping. For those who still have shopping to do I’d like to help you ponder your standard gift-giving habits. Making a few tweaks in that area can have a dramatic impact on loved ones – not just at Christmas time but during any season or life circumstance. One gift-giving approach is to give gift cards or money. Though convenient and practical, those gifts don’t require a lot of thought. And unless the recipient is hopeful for such a gift there’s a risk the receiver might feel a little slighted. Having said that, gift cards are appropriate for less-intimate work associates and for those with whom we interact infrequently. They offer the recipient an opportunity to buy exactly what they want. But when it comes to people with whom we’re closest, whose likes and dislikes we probably already know, giving a more-thoughtful gift is generally a better idea. And some of the most meaningful gifts are free or inexpensive. I know people who are great at giving thoughtful gifts. One in particular is
a great listener. As a result she knows what things are important to people – from their favorite foods, colors, authors or restaurants to the dates of special events. Our daughter Laura is great at giving thoughtful gifts. One of our favorite gifts from Laura was a colorful handmade scrapbook given to Pam and me for Christmas 2019. The book had 12 chapters, each with its own sealed envelope that was not to be opened until the first day of the month. Within each envelope was a unique idea
for Pam and me to spend quality time together. In addition to ice skating, a movie night and a campfire, we’ve enjoyed a homemade meal with wine, an evening at a fancy restaurant, had a make-your-own-pizza night and more. Christmas time or not, there are many people who aren’t wishing for gifts of money or anything that can be purchased from a store; they just want someone to spend time with them. Truly gift-giving in and of itself is not the ultimate aim. But be-
ing able to give thoughtful gifts sends a strong message to the receiver that they are important – and that’s a crucial message. Hank Wagner is a dairy producer and a John Maxwell Team teacher, mentor, speaker and coach. To learn more about nurturing thankfulness, consider reading Hank’s book “Teachable Moments: Lessons from Africa.” It’s available online at amazon.com and at most PDPW book stores. Contact hwagner@frontiernet.net for more Some of the most meaningful gifts are those given with thoughtfulness, and they are often free or inexpensive. information.
“Gets 2-year-olds ready to reach their potential.” — Keith Beer
BEER CATTLE CO, BERNE, INDIANA, Max and Karen and sons Keith (right) and Craig Beer 2020 Indiana Master Farmers Calving 200 to 250 two-year-olds monthly, milking only fresh heifers, SCC 150,000 “Getting udders softer, faster for more milk is why we use Udder Comfort™ for our 2-year-olds over the past 5 years. The proof is in our comparisons. We see softer, more pliable udders with better flow and a 3- to 4-pound production increase by 14 days in milk, along with a Quality Udders Make Quality Milk lower collaborative SCC. This gets 2-yr-olds ready to reach their potential,” says Keith Beer. He and Craig and parents Max and Karen raise and sell fresh heifers, calving 200-250 heifers monthly at Beer Cattle Co., Berne, Ind. They were announced as 2020 Master Farmers in June. “We continue to find ways to supply dairies with quality heifers that make milk. Udder Comfort is part of that, and the tools make it easy to do groups. “We like the Udder Comfort Backpack Sprayer for pre-fresh heifer groups in the barn and the Spray Gun for post-fresh in the parlor. For us, a combination is ideal. “We apply Udder Comfort 1x/day for 2 days before and 2x/day for 3 to 5 days after calving. Our guys are proud to use it. One pass delivers the spray to the bottom of the udder and up a few inches, the critical area to overcome edema around teats and suspensory ligament, getting udders ready to accept volumes of milk. We find 5 gallons covers 200 heifers for all 12 to 14 applications.” https://wp.me/pb1wH7-aS
Maximum Results Minimal Cost Call to locate a distributor 1.888.773.7153 uddercomfort.com
For external application to the udder only, after milking, as an essential component of udder management. Always wash and dry teats thoroughly before milking.