nutridense banner image

The Corn Feed

nutridense banner image

NutriDense Silage Use in Dairy Replacement Heifer Feeding

December 14th, 2010 by Jerry Weigel

There’s an interesting paradox in the dairy industry — frequently, we put a lot of money into dairy genetics, but then do not feed heifers accurately. As a result, producers lose money on the genetic potential of these heifers.

For the most part in today’s world, close to 55% of the average cow’s life is spent as a heifer. Furthermore, feed costs are the largest cost input, accounting for approximately 60% for heifer production. On a dairy, raising heifers can account for as much as 15% of total farm expenses, so this is a great opportunity for you to work with your clients to optimize diet efficiency.

The BASF Plant Science team recommends that heifers should average between 2.00-2.25 lbs/d for average daily gain (ADG) using accurately formulated rations to ensure they are optimizing body protein deposition but not increasing body fat deposition.

When developing heifer feeding regimes for your clients, the number one concern that should be kept in mind is to avoid over-conditioning. We know that over-conditioning (feeding excess energy) frequently leads to potential post-calving problems. Over-conditioning also reduces feed efficiency due to the deposition of fat, which converts less efficiently than protein. Another factor that can affect feed efficiency is age, as older heifers are sometimes less efficient than younger heifers.

NutriDense Silage has elevated protein and the energy contribution is from improved digestibility of the Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), not corn starch. Added starch will often reduce fiber digestion by creating alterations in the rumen ecological environment. NutriDense offers more flexibility for increasing the use of industrially produced co-products like soybean hulls, corn gluten feed, or distillers grains with solubles. It also allows you to use lower quality forage products like wheat straw, soybean stubble (provided there are not any soybeans in the stubble hay) or grass hay in the heifer feeding program.

NutriDense Silage can be used under many different feeding regimes. And it is our recommendation in heifer programs that controlled intake is the best option. Controlled intake using highly digestible fiber sources and an optimum balance of protein will:

  • Maximize efficient use of available Nitrogen and organic matter
  • Reduce manure output
  • Reduce feed costs
  • Provide for long-term milk production as a lactating cow

Additionally, we recommend the use of ionophores within the dairy replacement heifer program.

In closing, remember one of the important goals of a dairy replacement feeding program is to rear heifers as economically and environmentally responsibly as you can, without compromising future lactation performance. To accomplish this goal, it is very important that you work with your clients to put together heifer replacement feeding regimes using forage sources such as NutriDense Silage as a primary feedstuff.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or any of our NutriDense field nutritionists.

Jerry Weigel is the manager of nutrition and technical services for BASF Plant Science. You can contact him at gerald.weigel@basf.com.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in BASF Plant Science, Dairy, Silage, eNewsletter | 2 Comments »

Considerations for Feeding Higher Levels of Corn Silage to Lactating Dairy Cows

October 14th, 2010 by Jerry Weigel

As all nutritionists know, milk production is highly dependent on the amount of energy a cow consumes. Additionally, effective fiber is required to ensure a properly functioning rumen. High-quality corn silage can meet both of these needs and is readily consumed by the cow, so it is a good idea to consider feeding higher amounts of corn silage. In fact, according to several presentations by University of Illinois Extension Dairy Specialist Dr. Mike Hutjens, it has been proven that up to 60% and quite possibly 70% of her Dry Matter Intake (DMI) could be quality corn silage.

When planning feeding regimes with greater inclusions of corn silage, different varieties should be evaluated carefully. Such factors as Digestible Neutral Detergent Fiber (DNDF), DNDF to starch concentrations, and protein concentrations are very important. Many of the new high-quality corn silages have greater crude protein levels and could reduce the incorporation of soybean meal in the diet. It is important to have enough degradable protein in the ration to maximize rumen fiber and starch utilization. A good guideline to remember is 60 to 65% of the protein to be provided as rumen degraded.

Several important factors should be evaluated when considering incorporation of corn silage into the dairy lactation ration at DMI of greater than 70% of her forage Dry Matter (DM).

  • Silage production costs, as DM yield will have a bearing on production costs. Fixed costs will not vary that much relative to the total costs – if the land yields more tons of DM there will be more tons to spread the total costs across.
  • Nutritive value is very important, as corn silage has to contribute beneficial fiber while still adding usable energy to the feed ration.
  • Projected Income over Feed Costs (IOFC) and feed efficiency (converting the available energy to milk).

There are also things to keep in mind regarding corn silage harvest and storage. It is important to remember that as the plant matures, the level of fiber digestibility and starch decreases. Maximum digestibility occurs at one half to two-thirds the milk line. The fermentation profile should also be taken into consideration with an optimal rumen pH range of 3.8 to 4.2.  For optimal feeding results from quality corn silage, it should be stored in air tight facilities, pits or bunkers for at least 100 days before beginning to feed to allow for adequate fermentation. Proper fermentation becomes critical if corn silage contributes to more than 65% of the forage intake and as silage as a percentage of the DMI increases. With the above said, if the corn silage harvest window was too short and your silage was too mature, you should not consider feeding high levels of corn silage at this time.

Routine corn silage sampling is critical.  And it becomes increasingly important for adequate sampling after opening the storage facility as the percent of corn silage in the diet increases and more analytes are being contributed to the diet from corn silage. The most important factor is moisture, and one must determine the variant in moisture. A movement of only a few points in DM could make for 2 to 4 pounds over or under on DM fed. You would be taking away from the cow her ability to determine her DMI by artificially setting it for her in this DM error. We suggest sampling for moisture every 2 to 3 weeks, especially when you open different storage facilities.

As with any ration formulation, it is very important when feeding high-quality corn silage diets to consult with a knowledgeable nutritionist to help balance the feed. Please feel free to call on me or my team of nutritionists if you have any additional questions.

Jerry Weigel is the manager of nutrition and technical services for BASF Plant Science. You can contact him at gerald.weigel@basf.com.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in BASF Plant Science, Dairy, Silage, eNewsletter | 1 Comment »

Use Co-Products for Efficient, Cost-Effective Rations

August 11th, 2010 by Jerry Weigel

At BASF Plant Science, we tend to focus our ration discussions around corn silage, which in our opinion should comprise the majority of the total mixed ration (TMR). However, we should spend some time discussing the co-products that can be used to make up the rest of the TMR. Industrially produced co-products, such as corn distillers grains, corn gluten feed, corn gluten meal and soybean hulls, are very important for a dairy cow’s diet.

Here are some of the most commonly used co-products:

  • Distillers grains are popular because they can replace both corn and soybean meal (the standard protein we have in our dairy rations) to a certain percentage. We’ve proven over and over again that corn distiller products are a viable replacement for corn, up to 20-25% of the ration dry matter intake. It won’t fully replace it because of the energy. We know that corn fiber is a very effective energy source and a very safe and effective fiber source. It allows us to displace corn, and sometimes even other forages, and lets us maximize other corn forages such as corn silage as well as then allowing us to bring the inclusion of soybean meal down.
  • Corn gluten feed can be used on a dry matter basis in 15-20% of the total ration.  Corn gluten meal is the protein fraction of the corn that is over 60% protein, and we know it’s a very good source of bypass protein.
  • Soybean hulls are another very important co-product. Soybean hulls are the remaining 8-10% that is left once you pop off the meats (soybean meal). As we know from work we did at Missouri years ago that’s been duplicated several times, you can easily go to 25-30% of the DMI with soybean hulls.

Some producers may view co-products as an added financial expense, but if used correctly, they can actually help save producers money. We urge producers to work with their nutritionists, extension agents or veterinarians to do linear programming to determine how they can displace corn, soy or other potential forage sources like alfalfa in the ration and ultimately bring down costs without any negative effects on feed efficiency. Additionally, we have seen some early work on young growing animals indicating that co-products may improve feed efficiency because it’s allowing the animals to be more efficient at converting this carbohydrate source over to energy. If you are buying wet co-products be sure you know the moisture content of the product and understand that their “shelf life” is shorter than dry products.

One question when determining the use of co-products is, how high can we go with corn silage in the ration? At BASF Plant Science, we have looked at that question quite a bit in our research. In our recent study with Cornell University, we included 5.5% of the ration dry matter soybean hulls with excellent results. If one is looking at corn gluten feed, corn distillers products or soybean hulls, NutriDense fits very well into those programs and allows producers to further drop the amount of corn grain in TMRs. Additionally, we know the effective fiber of NutriDense will give us that safety margin or the rumen ecological advantage that fits very well with corn or soybean co-products.

There are certainly a lot of negatives on co-products out there, but they’re usually driven by a lack of information. Producers who use co-products need to work with their suppliers to make certain they know the correct nutritional specifications, which in turn will allow for proper balancing. If fed and managed properly, co-products will be very profitable to a producer’s operation.

Jerry Weigel is the manager of nutrition and technical services for BASF Plant Science. You can contact him at gerald.weigel@basf.com.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in BASF Plant Science, Dairy, Silage, eNewsletter | No Comments »

Managing corn silage in bunker silos

April 15th, 2010 by Jerry Weigel

Maximizing dairy production from a feeding standpoint is highly dependent upon producing and storing quality corn silage.  We spend quite a bit of time talking about proper operating procedures in harvesting corn silage — such as optimum harvest maturity and moisture, particle size, and packing management — but often times forget about feed-out and bunker management.

Today let’s chat about managing the face of the bunker, or what we refer to as feed-out rates.  It is well understood that the removal rate or feed-out rate is defined as inches of silage removed from the face (front) of the bunker. It is our feeling that a minimum of 6 inches per day should be removed during the summer and a minimum of 4 inches per day in the winter. A good recommendation when designing new bunkers is to design the bunker to take twice as much per day off the face, thus making a longer (versus wider) bunker that has a smaller face area.

It is also important to remember that as you open the bunker, you should only uncover the amount of silage you need at that time.  Excess plastic should be cut off each day, and at no time should two days worth of silage be exposed.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Dairy, Milk Production, Nutrition, Silage, eNewsletter | No Comments »

Quality Control Ideas Relative to Total Mixed Ration (TMR) Considerations

February 3rd, 2010 by Jerry Weigel

The terms “quality,” “quality control” and “quality assurance” have all been defined in very narrow and certainly many different ways by the feed industry. The food industry has defined these terms to prevent defective and poor products and services as part of their manufacturing and delivering process. The feed industry also has this philosophy.

In my opinion whether you are talking about making a 16.00% Dairy Mix, producing ice cream or monitoring your total mixed ration (TMR), the words of Shewhart, as written in the Economic Control of Quality of Manufactured Product (1931) and published under the guidelines of the American Society for Quality Control, are important to remember:

Measured quality of manufactured product(s) is always subject to a certain amount of variation as a result of chance. Some stable “systems of chance causes” is inherent in any particular scheme of production and inspection. Variation within this stable pattern is inevitable. The reason(s) for variation outside this stable pattern must be discovered and corrected.

So, as we progress into a more targeted discussion about quality, let’s focus on the dairyman’s TMR. The nutritional advantages of using TMR-based feeding regimes have been written about since the late 1980’s. We know and understand about some of the advantages of TMR’s over separate feeding of forages and concentrates, and they include but certainly not limited to:

• More accurate proportions of forages and concentrates are delivered to the cows
• Ensuring a reduced risk of digestive upsets
• Assuring improved feed efficiency
• Improved response from certain industrial co-products (Hominy, DDGS, Gluten Feed)
• Better utilization of labor

I also realize that it is important to know the terminology around TMR, and those terms are:

• Mixed Partial Ration (MPR) — MPR is often used in combination with TMR but top dressing of grain in the bunk or the use of computerized feeding systems also done. Often times free choice dry hay is used as well.
• Mixed Total Ration (MTR) — A MTR is often used instead of the term TMR so they are the same.
• Partially Mixed Ration (PMTR) — The PMTR is something that needs to be fixed, as the feed is not totally mixed and will be discussed in part within this discussion.
• Totally Mixed Total Ration (TMTR) — The TMTR is the desired outcome of your mix.

In this discussion let us focus on the day-to-day aspect of TMR feeding.

It is my opinion that the success of any TMR and TMTR feeding regime absolutely requires the Herdsman, the person actually doing the feeding, and the Farm Manager or owner pay very close attention to the following areas

• Changes in Dry Matter within the feed. Every dairy should have a moisture tester for their TMR. The TMR should be tested 2 times per week, minimum.

• Add feeding ingredients in the proper order. Add the concentrates, like cereals and soya, first followed by the forages if you are using an auger mixer. Be sure and grind or chop dry forages and add them last, again with an auger system. If you are using a vertical mixer with center augers, add the dry chopped forages first followed by grains, concentrates and lastly the ensiled forages.

• Do not over mix. Mixing time will vary with the type of mixer (auger or vertical), amount of feed in the mixer, size of the power (tractor or truck), and even the condition (old or new) of the mixer. It is recommended that the mixer should run 5 minutes from the time the last ingredient is added. In some vertical mixers the time may be shortened to 3 minutes. Over mixing creates a reduction in particle size and causes you to lose the physical effect of the fiber peNDF. This is why I recommend routinely checking particle size every 3 weeks, unless you see rumen/digestive upsets, with a particle size monitor, such as the Penn State Box. Follow their guidelines but remember that more than 10% on the top screen allows cows to sort feed ingredients.

• Calibrate mixer scales. Check mixer weights at ⅓, ⅔ and full capacity. An easy and effective way to check this is to place a known amount of weight (such as 100 pounds) on each corner of the mixer at the 3 mentioned weight capacities and get your readings.

It is a must that you read in its entirety the manual for your mixer that you use for preparing your TMR.

To make sure your TMR mixer is functioning adequately and, more importantly consistently, sample several different locations within the bunk on a routine basis, say every month or so. Do this at the start of feed discharge, at 25%, 50%, 75% intervals across the feed bunk, and at the end of feed discharge. I have seen cases of digestive upsets in cows where they consume feed at the beginning of feed discharge, due to corn not being totally mixed and or not added at the correct time. Cattle are very dominate eaters and will often consume feed from the same place each day, each feeding.

Encouraging your customers to incorporating these suggestions into their Standard Operating Procedures will help them maximizing feed efficiency as well as the economics of milk production and cow well-being.

Jerry Weigel is the manager of nutrition and technical services for BASF Plant Science. He can be reached at gerald.weigel@basf.com.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Dairy, Nutrition, Silage, eNewsletter | 1 Comment »

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.

Posted in Dairy | No Comments »

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.

Posted in Dairy, Silage | No Comments »

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.

Posted in Dairy, Energy, Nutrition, Silage | No Comments »

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.

Posted in Dairy, Energy, Milk Production, Nutrition, Silage | No Comments »

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.

Posted in Dairy, Energy, Nutrition, Silage | No Comments »

« Older Entries