2009 November | NutriDense®

Dairy Management Reminders

November 30th, 2009 by Jerry Weigel

How well you manage cows plays a critical role in how well cows utilize feed. Remember that your focus should revolve around rumen health, energy expenditures and feed utilization. If one of these three areas is out of balance, feed efficiency will suffer.

Minimize stress.
The more energy cows spend fighting to get to the bunk and traveling back and forth from the milking facility leaves that much less energy available for milk production. As a manager you can improve efficiencies by minimizing the number of stressors your cows encounter every day, directing more energy to milk production and further improving feed efficiency.

Account for weather changes.
Under cold-stress conditions, cows spend more energy maintaining body heat and less energy producing milk. Adjust your management strategies to keep cows comfortable during the winter, and maintain rumen health with a highly digestible corn silage variety. Ensure the ration is kept out of the weather to maintain palatability and high dry matter intake (DMI).

Monitor change.
Fluctuations in DMI and production can often be the result of ration or environmental changes. To ensure the ration is promoting optimized DMI and resulting production levels, monitor feed efficiency on a regular basis to identify major changes in feed efficiency trends. This can be done by knowing feeding levels and estimated DMI, as well as average daily milk production.

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Transitioning to a new Corn Silage

November 25th, 2009 by Jerry Weigel

Soon, dairy producers will be moving from old to new feed. Here are some tips for a smooth transition.

Transition slowly.
An overnight switch can be detrimental to your herd’s health. By adding some from each batch of corn silage to the ration, you can make the transition smoothly. If the new silage is better than what you’re currently feeding, it may be better for you to start feeding more of it sooner. But if the new silage is poorer than what you are currently feeding, lengthen the transition period as much as possible to take advantage of a better nutrient profile.

Monitor often.
Changes in dry matter intake and production will happen quickly after nutrition changes. Pay attention to feed intake, fluctuations in milk production and the incidence of metabolic disorders in the fresh cow pen. Any major changes may be a red flag that the new ration isn’t meeting the herd’s nutrient requirement.

Consult the experts.
If you’re not sure how to feed your new crop of corn silage, the BASF Plant Science Tech Service team is here to help. Feel free to send an e-mail to Jerry Weigel, Janet Snow or Chris Peter. Each has a wealth of knowledge that can be beneficial when you’re making decisions about how to feed the new crop.

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“Starry Night” Poster Giveaway

November 23rd, 2009 by Courtney Beck

Many people stopped by our booth at World Dairy Expo and received a copy of our “Starry Night” poster, pictured below. If you missed out then, you have one more chance! Simply post a comment on any of our blog posts, and we will follow up with you via email to find out where to mail your copy (U.S. addresses only, please). Hurry, supplies are limited and this promotion will end on Dec. 15!

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Barney Bernstein on the BASF Plant Science Feed Project

November 20th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

BASF Plant Science is the only major biotech company with a main focus on research and breeding efforts to improve corn for animal feed purposes. Since 90 percent of corn is fed to animals directly or as a by-product of processing corn, the BASF Plant Science Feed Project carries a lot of weight. In this week’s podcast, Barney Bernstein, director of trait marketing and sales for BASF Plant Science, discusses the emphasis and importance of the Feed Project.

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Article: How Does Later Corn Harvest Impact Cow Health, Milk Production?

November 19th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

This year’s late corn harvest has certainly raised many questions and concerns. The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has responded by beginning research to evaluate the impact of later-harvested corn on cow digestive health and milk production efficiency. Click here to read more about the program in an article from the Gouverneur Times.

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NutriDense Grain and Perdue AgriBusiness Announce Contracting Opportunity

November 18th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, November 18, 2009 – BASF Plant Science is pleased to announce the addition of Perdue AgriBusiness to the list of companies now contracting for NutriDense Grain. Perdue, a leading merchandiser, processor and exporter of grain, is committed to working with local farmers to enhance their profitability through NutriDense Grain.

“Perdue has been evaluating NutriDense Grain for some time, and we are very pleased with the results we saw this harvest and in previous feeding trials,” said John Ade, Perdue AgriBusiness vice president of grain sales and merchandising. “By accepting NutriDense Grain at our facilities, we will be able to offer growers a premium contracting opportunity while providing optimal nutrition and enhancing animal feed performance.”

As a result of this program, corn growers delivering to the Perdue feed mills in Washington, Ind. and Livermore, Ky. will have a strong local market for NutriDense Grain. NutriDense hybrids are available in these areas through NutriDense licensed seed companies. For a list of these companies, visit visit www.nutridense.com/seed-partners.

“This program will provide the opportunity for many corn growers in these areas to experience the benefits of NutriDense Grain,” said Scott Friedlund, NutriDense Grain product manager. “We appreciate the opportunity to add value to the local agricultural community through NutriDense Grain, and we look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship with Perdue.”

NutriDense is a nutritionally enhanced corn that contains a stacked set of output traits designed to enhance animal feed performance.

For swine and poultry producers, corn hybrids containing NutriDense Grain traits elevate ration energy content without adding fat, increase essential amino acid content and improve phosphorus availability. At the same time, NutriDense Grain reduces the amount of soybean meal in the ration, which increases digestibility. NutriDense Grain provides better animal nutrition that leads to greater profitability for producers.

About Perdue AgriBusiness
Perdue AgriBusiness is a wholly owned subsidiary of Perdue Incorporated. Ranked among the largest grain companies in the United States, Perdue AgriBusiness is a leading merchandiser, processor and exporter of agriculture products. Through its more than 40 elevator locations with more than 60 million bushels of storage, four transload facilities, three protein blend mills, three soybean crushing operations, an edible oil refinery and two rendering facilities, Perdue AgriBusiness serves agricultural markets across the United States and around the world. Visit www.perdueagribusiness.com for more information.

About BASF Plant Science
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. BASF Plant Science – a BASF group company – is one of the world’s leading companies providing innovative plant biotechnology solutions for agriculture. Today, more than 750 employees are helping farmers meet the growing demand for improved agricultural productivity and healthier nutrition for humans and animals. BASF Plant Science has developed an unparalleled gene discovery platform focusing on yield and quality traits in crops such as corn, soybean and rice. Jointly with leading partners in the seed industry BASF Plant Science is commercializing its products. Current projects include higher yielding row crops, nutritionally-enhanced corn for animal feed or higher content of Omega-3’s in oil crops for preventing cardiovascular diseases. To find out more about BASF Plant Science, please visit www.basf.com/plantscience.

About BASF
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals and oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than €62 billion in 2008 and had approximately 97,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at: http://www.basf.com.

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Understanding Feed Components

November 18th, 2009 by Jerry Weigel

Silage sampling is key to good management, but deciphering the lab results can be tricky. Here are some of the key things to look for in your results.

Energy
Corn silage is a major component of dairy cattle rations because of its high energy levels. Net Energy for Lactation (NEL) is the number to focus on. Adequate values for corn silage range from 0.68-0.74 Mcal/pound of dry matter (DM).

Fiber
Corn silage can be an effective fiber source, but you can see quite a bit of variation in fiber content and quality. One analysis performed at the lab is lignin levels; lignin content will range from 2.50-7.00 percent of DM. Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) will range from 18 to 32 percent of DM and Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) will range from 32 to 55 percent of DM. This information will help you determine how effective the fiber source will be once in the rumen.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate levels, especially sugar content, will range from 4 to 8 percent of DM. The sugars found in the plant could come from the grain or the stover fraction. Starch is a storage carbohydrate in corn and will range from 17 to 42 percent in the plant. High levels of starch in the ration could contribute to rumen acidosis, which could lead to lameness and performance problems.

Dry Matter
It is very important to know accurate moisture levels. Dry matter will range from 32 to 37 percent. If levels of corn silage in the total ration exceed 35 percent, then more routine sampling should be conducted for moisture content.

Knowledge really is power for a sound dairy cow nutrition program, and it all starts with an accurate and representative forage testing program.

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Why Corn Silage?

November 16th, 2009 by Jerry Weigel

On some farms we’ve seen corn silage reach almost half the ration, and for good reason. New hybrids exist that are bred to exhibit traits that make corn silage a very attractive forage, especially in light of today’s high corn prices Some of the positive attributes that corn silage offers include:

High-energy
It’s no secret that energy is probably the most important nutrient cows need throughout lactation to achieve high levels of production. After calving, it’s often difficult to provide cows with enough energy to prevent loss of body condition. The less time cows spend in the resulting negative energy balance, which is partially dependent on a high-energy ration, the more time they spend producing high volumes of milk without the looming possibility of metabolic disorders. NutriDense Silage may be a great alternative to more expensive energy sources. There are varieties available that replace lignin with effective fiber and sugar, which improves fiber digestibility and increases net energy for lactation (NEL). This allows producers to cut back on grain, creating a more reasonably priced ration.

Palatability
Cows like NutriDense Silage, so quality corn silage can help boost dry matter intake (DMI). This is especially important for fresh cows because we have a hard time getting them to eat after calving. If we are able to boost intake during early lactation, we have fewer metabolic disorders and have an overall more profitable cow, not to mention more productivity through lactation.

Consistency
Dairy cows crave consistency in their day-to-day schedules, and this includes the feeding program. If harvested over a short time period, high-quality corn silage can be a very consistent part of the ration and ensure that each bit of the TMR is the same as the last. This consistency also benefits rumen microbes by encouraging a consistent population throughout lactation.

Easy-to-manage
In general, corn silage is easier to manage than other crops, especially when considering what it takes to manage multiple cuttings of alfalfa. Still, it’s critical for corn silage to be harvested at the appropriate moisture level and packed tightly to encourage proper fermentation. Because in-field moisture levels can change quickly, it’s also important to get the corn out of the field as quickly as possible to reduce variation.

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Podcast: Barney Bernstein on Local-Use Networks

November 13th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

BASF Plant Science believes in the value of local agricultural communities. In this week’s podcast, Barney Bernstein, director of trait marketing and sales for BASF Plant Science, explains the local-use network, a unique approach to keeping value in the community.

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NutriDense Solves the Transition Cow Mystery

November 11th, 2009 by Jerry Weigel

Despite all the advances in research, we still don’t completely understand the transition cow and how she works. Any way we can improve the ration nutrition profile during this period three weeks before and after calving can help her perform better during her lactation.

Maintaining ecological balance in the rumen should be our number one priority. Keeping the rumen happy means a healthier, more productive cow. Because the rumen utilizes forages so well, providing higher levels of effective fiber, rather than starch, can optimize rumen health.

By growing NutriDense Silage, you can produce a low-lignin corn hybrid that has higher levels of effective fiber and sugar. This makes more energy readily available to the cow, which can then be used to increase milk production.

As you continue to look for ways to help your transition cows, remember the importance of effective fiber and a healthy rumen. Providing the right nutrients and optimal rumen balance can lead to a productive lactation.

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