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Summer 2003
Welcome to our summer, 2003, DairyNet electronic newsletter. With a rainy May, first cutting forage has been delayed resulting in lower quality forage. Illinois dairy farmers could be feeding rain damaged, RFV 130 or less forages to their dairy herds. The corn in the ground is looking great for early corn silage, but soybeans are waiting to be planted and some corn acres may shift to soybeans. Dairy cows are milking well with excellent production and mild weather enhanced feed intake and cow comfort.
Mark your calendar for July 9th and 10th for the Four State Applied Nutrition and Management Conference in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. This is a must meeting for dairy consultants, feed company/coop personnel, and dairy managers wanting the latest research-based feeding information. Over 500 people attend this fact-filled two days with a pre-conference sponsored by Balchem Encapsulates, producers of protected choline. To see the program, speakers, and register, go to http://www.wasa.org and we'll see you in July in LaCrosse!
Events
Papers
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Leanne C. Lucas
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Leanne C. Lucas
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Mike Hutjens
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Mike Hutjens
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Mike Hutjens
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Mike Hutjens, Extension Dairy Specialist
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Dr. Gavin Meerdink, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
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Jan Novakofski
Ask an Expert
- Calves & Heifers — I would much appreciate if you could give me a mathematical formula to calculate the heifer replacement rate for a dairy herd. It is obvious to me that it would include the following variables: age at first calving, death rate of calves and heifers, culling rate and age of producing animals and calv
- Feeding & Nutrition — What are the advantages of using a baler cut hay (either round or big square) versus using a tub grinder or a tmr mixer with knives to do the job? Is using baler cut hay better at maintaining effect fiber?
- Calves & Heifers — could you please comment on experiences regarding feeding dairy cows paper pulp drived from paper mills. This is a material with a high FDN and ADF content plus 25% aprox of ash ( 8% calcium) it is free of ink. I appreciate your comments.Thank you.
- Feeding & Nutrition — What are the limitations on balancing rations using Spartan?
- Feeding & Nutrition — Is it practical to be balancing rations for amino acid profile on farm or more as a troubleshooting tool?
- Feeding & Nutrition — Are you suggesting the inclusion of any mycotoxin binders in lactation rations, if so which active ingredients appear to have the greatest results?
- Feeding & Nutrition — HELLO, I NEED TO KNOW IF EAR CORN COULD BE GROUND IN A FEED GRINDER AND FED WITH SILAGE-SUPPLEMENT TO LACTATING DAIRY CATTLE? ALSO, I WOULD ALSO like to know if it is possible to net around $20,000 a year from 20-25 cows using management intensive grazing. Your answer will be greatly apprecitated,
- Health & Disease — I am currently using an ozone water treatment apparatus to help precipitate out iron. I believe that there is value in providing additional amounts of ozone in the water for milk cows, however at what level is the ozone to be incorporated into the water to make it therapeutic? I need help on this
Conclusions
Milk prices continue to be extremely low with mail box prices around $11 per cwt. Higher milk components and quality premiums are helping. The MILC payments continue to add over $1.50 per cwt for those dairy farms that have not hit the cap amount of milk (about 120 cow equivalents). Prairie Farm Coop rebates last year (over $2.00 per cwt) has also helped those farms shipping to the IL cooperative. Milk futures remain bleak as high inventories of dairy products, more cow, and more milk keep summer and fall future prices depressed. "Wide card unknowns" include heat stress, moisture levels in several key dairy and crop producing states, and the National Milk Producer's CWT (Cooperatives Working Together) program to reduce domestic milk production by reducing cow numbers or exporting more dairy products can have an impact. Let's hope our next electronic newsletter will have more optimistic news. We encourage you to share this electronic newsletter with others and encourage their enrollment. Have a great day!
