Courtney Beck | NutriDense®

Some Helpful Tools for 2012

January 11th, 2012 by Courtney Beck

As you’re planning for 2012, here are a few handy calculators to help you keep track of expenses and streamline production costs.

Determine the cost of production per acre with AgWeb’s Corn Margin Calculator. With this tool, you can determine the expected per bushel corn yield to determine your breakeven selling price and what optimizations you can make to improve your bottom line.

Speaking of bottom line, little changes in feed efficiency can have a big impact. Try out the NutriDense Silage Calculator to learn how much a 6 percent improvement in feed efficiency can save in feed costs.

What tools do you use to track expenses and keep costs down?

Tags: 2012 planning, AgWeb, calculator, corn, corn silage
Posted in Dairy, Silage | No Comments »

Happy Holidays!

December 24th, 2011 by Courtney Beck

From all of us at NutriDense, a big thank you for connecting with us this year on The Corn Feed. We look forward to providing you with more nutrition tips, industry news and event postings in 2012. In the meantime, we wish you and yours a happy and safe holiday season!

Tags: 2011, 2012, NutriDense, Nutrition
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2011 Wrap Up – Five Favorites

December 19th, 2011 by Courtney Beck

With the New Year rapidly approaching, all of us here at The Corn Feed are reflecting on what we’ve learned this year in preparation for a successful 2012. We hope you enjoy the look back through our year!

Here are a few of our favorite topics from 2011:

1. Even with bigger cows and a 59 percent increase in milk production, the carbon footprint for each gallon of milk continues to decrease. Read more here.

2. Dr. Fred Below from the University of Illinois presented the seven most influential factors on corn production. Check out the full list here.

3. A lactating dairy cow drinks approximately 30 to 50 gallons of water daily, accounting for over 85 percent of its nutrients. To learn more, check out both Part I and Part II of our Nutrient Management Practices posts.

4. Milk yield loss begins at the Temperature Humidity Index of 68. For more information about the index and heat’s effect on the herd, click here.

5. Locomotion scoring is recommended when trying to reduce lameness throughout a herd. Learn more about what that can mean for herd management practices here.

Tags: 2011, Milk Production, Nutrition, University of Illinois
Posted in BASF Plant Science, Dairy, Milk Production, Nutrition, Silage, Yield | No Comments »

Obstacles to Corn Silage Quality

December 6th, 2011 by Courtney Beck

Steven T. Woodford, Ph.D., Nutrition Professionals Inc.

There has been tremendous improvement in corn genetics over the last decade, especially for corn silage. And yet, corn silage continues to suffer in an area where haylage in general does not – how it is made has a significant impact on its digestible energy. Many producers follow the old rule of thumb that if corn looks too green it’s too wet. Even if they know the actual dry matter (DM) of the corn silage standing in the field, the color can be the tie breaker on whether to chop or wait.

There is still a debate among nutritionists about whether it pays to lose a few points of corn silage DM to gain a few percentage points of starch, especially with high corn prices. If corn silage is processed properly, that should not be a problem. But in the real world there is still too much corn silage that is processed too dry. For example, Dairyland Laboratories Inc. includes statistics on their website citing that the average corn silage sample DM was 37 percent in 2009 and 36 percent in 2010, with fairly large standard error, meaning a significant number of samples came in above 40 percent. Additionally, according to the MILK2006 calculator, lowering corn silage moisture 5 percentage points drops milk per ton 5 percent on processed corn silage and 12 percent on unprocessed corn silage. This leads to the understanding that dry corn silage really is leaving energy on the table.

The second area that significantly affects corn silage digestible energy is processing. In my experience, close to half the corn silages I see are not optimally processed. There are several reasons for this, including poor understanding about optimum processing practices and opening the roller to gain speed. Prior to corn silage harvest, I make a point to discuss correct processing procedures and best practices with my clients. I suggest they look at every field harvested so the processor can be adjusted due to changes in variety and DM, and to use a simple test such as putting corn silage in a bucket of water and looking for whole kernels and large cob pieces that separate out. But often in the rush of getting harvest done, these checks are not made.

Thirdly, it is imperative to look at how new corn silage is feeding. I often find that forage tests do not accurately reflect how new corn silage will feed. In recent years I have been running a fecal starch before and after a new crop of corn silage is fed. If we see an increase in fecal starch on new corn silage and I feel it is related to the degree of processing, that is a teachable moment with the client. But that also needs to be reinforced 11 months later when corn silage is made again to make sure we get it right next time.

In conclusion, producing high-quality corn silage is very important, and the entire dairy management team holds a high stake in getting this right. The seed corn representative wants his corn to perform well, the nutritionist wants the cows to milk well and the producer wants to maximize profit. The agronomist often has the most input on when to chop, so working together as a team is ideal. I try to make sure the agronomist sees the samples I take so they know if optimum corn silage DM targets were hit. With the dairy management team working together, corn silage can continue to improve in quality.

Steven Woodford, Ph.D. is a nutritionist with Nutrition Professionals Inc., an independent firm of nutritionists based in Sheboygan Falls, Wis. You can contact him at swood@bytehead.com.

For a downloadable PDF of this article, click here.

Tags: corn silage, dairy nutrition, Dairyland Laboratories Inc., Nutrition Professionals Inc., Steven Woodford
Posted in Dairy, Silage, eNewsletter | No Comments »

Dairy Diet Tips

November 16th, 2011 by Courtney Beck

With corn prices still sky high, every producer wants increased feed efficiency and an income over feed cost advantage.

Starting in 2004, Randy Shaver, professor of dairy sciences at the University of Wisconsin, surveyed several top Wisconsin dairies every three years to evaluate their ration compositions and note any shifts in feed use.

He recently detailed his findings to Hay and Forage Grower, denoting the following changes from 2004 to 2010:

Movement toward forages, with an emphasis on corn silage.
Corn silage use in the Midwest has remained high.
Grasses are gaining attention in the Midwest.
Research with distillers grains is showing mixed results.
Whole cottonseed, while expensive, is still common in larger herds.
Straw use has rapidly declined for feed, as producers need the high-dollar product for bedding instead.

Read Shaver’s full interview and learn more about his findings here.

Tags: corn silage, Dairy, Distillers Grains, forages, Hay and Forage Grower, Randy Shaver, ration, straw, University of Wisconsin, whole cottonseed
Posted in Dairy, Energy, Silage | No Comments »

Silage Cycle: Storage

November 8th, 2011 by Courtney Beck

Good harvest conditions are essential to producing high-quality corn silage. But after the harvest, managing the pile becomes just as important. Here are some tips from a recent Progressive Forage Grower article to aid in pile management.

Check silage storage containers for signs of spoilage, which can depress milk production if fed to cows.
Avoid overexposure to harsh elements such as heavy rain and snow by checking storage materials for rips and tears.
During feedout, shave the silage pile from the top down and then side-to-side.
During cooler weather, feed six inches or more per day; during summer months, feed 12 inches per day.

To read the full article and learn more about silage storage, click here.

Tags: Dairy, harvest, Progressive Forage Grower, Silage, storage
Posted in Dairy, Silage | No Comments »

The High Cost of Corn

October 19th, 2011 by Courtney Beck

Corn prices have been on the rise and show no signs of slowing down. Dairy producers and industry professionals across the country are working to find ways to manage overall costs associated with feeding a dairy herd – without sacrificing quality and feed efficiency.

Dr. Greg Bethard, assistant director at Dairy Records Management Systems and faculty member at North Carolina State University, suggests the following eight tips to find potential cost savings.

Minimize shrink and waste in storage
Avoid wasted feed at the bunk
Avoid overfeeding vitamins, minerals and protein
Procure forages that make an inexpensive ration
Minimize maintenance costs
Purchase ingredients that make a cost-effective ration
Consider limit feeding when appropriate
Get heifers pregnant

Hoard’s Dairyman covers more of Dr. Bethard’s ideas for reducing expenses in this article.

For further reading, check out these resources:

Tags: corn, Dairy, Dairy Records Management Systems, Dr. Greg Bethard, Hoard's Dairyman, North Carolina State University
Posted in Dairy, Silage, Yield | No Comments »

NutriDense Silage Prepares for World Dairy Expo

September 28th, 2011 by Courtney Beck

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, September 28, 2011 – Dairy industry enthusiasts are preparing for the 2011 World Dairy Expo, which runs Oct. 4 through Oct. 8 in Madison, Wis. Representatives from BASF Plant Science will be on hand throughout the week at the NutriDense Silage booth, located at Arena 450.

“The NutriDense team is thrilled to once again be a part of the World Dairy Expo. We have many activities planned for this year, including a football ticket giveaway, seminar sponsorship, Badger Dairy Club cheese stand coupons and more,” said Heather Goode, NutriDense communications manager. “We encourage show attendees to stop by our booth and learn more about NutriDense Silage and BASF Plant Science.”

The team has a number of on-site activities planned for the week, including:

A giveaway of four 50-yardline tickets to the Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings game at Lambeau Field on Nov. 14, 2011.
Sponsorship of the “Managing Your Margins: Practical Ways to Reduce Feed Costs and Increase Milk Price” seminar with Dr. Normand St-Pierre, animal sciences professor at The Ohio State University.
Vouchers for a free grilled cheese sandwich and milkshake lunch, redeemable at the University of Wisconsin at Madison’s Badger Dairy Club cheese stand.
Show updates on the NutriDense blog (www.nutridense.com/blog), Facebook (www.facebook.com/NutriDense) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/NutriDense).

The World Dairy Expo is a five-day international event showcasing the finest in dairy genetics and the newest dairy industry technologies. For more information and a complete schedule of show events, visit www.world-dairy-expo.com.

NutriDense Silage is nutritionally enhanced corn silage developed specifically for efficient milk production. University studies show NutriDense Silage provides a four to eight percent improvement in feed efficiency, or converting feed to milk, giving dairy producers an income over feed cost advantage. The result is lower feed costs and greater profitability for dairy producers. NutriDense Silage yields equal to or greater than dual purpose and greater than brown midrib, so producers can achieve high-quality corn silage without sacrificing yields.

To learn more about NutriDense, visit www.nutridense.com, follow us on Twitter @NutriDense or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NutriDense.

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 – The Chemical Company.

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,400 employees in North America, and had sales of $17.7 billion in 2010. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, and agricultural products to oil and gas. As a reliable partner, BASF creates chemistry to help 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 €63.9 billion in 2010 and had approximately 109,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com or in the Social Media Newsroom at newsroom.basf.com.

Tags: Badger Dairy Club, BASF Plant Science, Dairy, Dr. Normand St-Pierre, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, NutriDense Silage, The Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, World Dairy Expo
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Visit the NutriDense Silage Team at World Dairy Expo

September 28th, 2011 by Courtney Beck

Darwin Kuhlers, Forage Specialist

The NutriDense Silage team and dairy industry enthusiasts are preparing for the 2011 World Dairy Expo, which runs from Oct. 4 through Oct. 8 in Madison, Wis. Representatives from BASF Plant Science will be on hand throughout the week at the NutriDense Silage booth, Arena 450.

If you’re in the area, stop by our booth and register to win four 50-yardline tickets to the Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings game, held at Lambeau Field on Nov. 14, 2011. Also on hand in our booth are vouchers for a free grilled cheese sandwich and milkshake lunch, redeemable at the always-popular University of Wisconsin at Madison’s Badger Dairy Club cheese stand.

I also invite you to attend a seminar conducted by Dr. Normand St-Pierre, animal sciences professor at The Ohio State University. He’ll be speaking on Friday, Oct. 7 at 11:00 a.m. on “Managing Your Margins: Practical Ways to Reduce Feed Costs and Increase Milk Price.” Attendees are eligible for continuing education credits: ARPAS (1) or RACE (1).

I look forward to seeing you in Madison!

Tags: Badger Dairy Club, Dairy, Dr. Normand St-Pierre, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, NutriDense Silage, The Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, World Dairy Expo
Posted in Dairy, General, Upcoming Events, eNewsletter | No Comments »