FEED & NUTRITION

Over the last 50 years, milk production of dairy cows has essentially doubled in Canada. Even if cows consume an increased amount of dry matter, meeting the early-lactation nutrient needs of high-producing dairy cows is a big challenge. The transition period is more than ever a critical period.

If you’re considering canola, there’s a new tool that can help you calculate if it’s the right option for your dairy.

Dr. Essi Evans with Technical Advisory Services Inc. says the canola meal calculator is a web-based tool designed to compare the feeding value of canola and other protein ingredients relative to your choice of an available protein source.

When it comes to “game changers,” the dairy industry has seen its fair share.

The science behind creating a gallon of milk continues to change rapidly, thanks to new technologies and with the push for efficient and profitable operations in the current marketplace, nutrigenomics is today’s game changer producers need to consider.

Thom Mueller, the 2012 winner of the Ontario Forage Masters Program, grew up in a small town just outside of Ottawa, Canada.

Colourful infrared images of bunk faces have become all the rage with consultants and sales people wanting to promote forage quality and silage additives. One company claims that infrared cameras can show the value of inoculants.

While weather is a constant uncertainty for dairy farmers, 2012 brought with it distinct challenges as alfalfa and grain suffered from drought, heat and destructive insects in Eastern Canada.