Avoid the stink (Dr. Michelle Windle)
By Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical services specialist “Clostridia” is almost a four-lettered word in today’s silage world. …more The post Avoid the stink (Dr....
View ArticlePest problems have far-reaching effects – Jon Urness, Vita Plus
By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist Wildlife pests found around bunkers, piles and bags are not only an unsightly nuisance, but can also wreak havoc by spreading serious disease threats...
View ArticleThe fungus among us: The buzz behind the fuzz – Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus
By Dr. Michelle Windle, Vita Plus forage products and dairy technical service specialist A mushroom, a yeast and a mold walk into a bar. The bartender yells, “I don’t want any trouble here!” They...
View ArticleComparing high moisture corn processing equipment – Jon Urness, Vita Plus
By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist If you have adequate corn silage kernel processing, yet a high fecal starch percentage, you may need to look into your grain source and high moisture...
View Article3 ways to cope with high-mycotoxin feeds – Dr. Eric Schwab, Vita Plus
By Dr. Eric Schwab, Vita Plus dairy technical specialist Mycotoxins are present in a wide range of livestock feeds. If you determine that a mycotoxin challenge exists, here are 3 mitigation strategies...
View ArticleSpoiling silages and TMRs
By Dr. Limin Kung, University of Delaware professor of animal and food sciences Silages start to spoil when exposed to air. Because total mixed rations (TMR) contain silages, they are also prone to...
View ArticleControlling birds and their mess
By Jarrod Blackburn, Vita Plus dairy specialist Many different bird species make a dairy farm “home” in the cooler months, posing a risk to the health of livestock and people as well as the farm’s...
View ArticleManage feed to reduce risk of milk fat depression
By Stacy Nichols, Vita Plus | As we enter the summer months, we face a higher risk of milk fat depression caused by several factors. One of those factors can be the increased availability of starch...
View ArticleForage particle size recommendations that boost cow comfort
By Rick Grant, William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute | Forage quality is an overlooked component of cow comfort. Forage particle size, NDF degradability, fragility and dietary forage...
View ArticleDoes feeding dry corn silage ‘corn-cern’ you?
By Paulina Letelier, Ph.D., Vita plus | Many farms throughout the Midwest reported harvesting drier-than-ideal corn silage this season. Here are some strategies to get the most from these dry corn...
View ArticleMILK2024: Updated MILK index for corn silage
Selecting corn hybrids is an important step in shaping the nutritive value of corn silage, which directly impacts the productivity and profitability of a dairy operation for the next year or more....
View ArticleThe dollars and sense of pretty manure
Fecal starch is a major quantifier of a TMR’s starch digestibility, which can make or break a dairy’s feeding program. The key to determining the cause of a suboptimal fecal starch percentage is to...
View ArticleFeed hygiene is critical to herd performance
It is no secret that forage quality can make or break the productivity — and profitability — of a herd. When we accurately identify feed hygiene challenges, we can take steps to minimize negative...
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