This document discusses managing variability in feed ingredients and feed delivery on dairy farms. It emphasizes that feed costs make up a large portion of milk production costs. Consistent diets are important for cow performance. The document outlines ways to reduce nutrient losses during harvesting, storage, mixing and delivery of feed. This includes minimizing shrink, maintaining feed quality, accurately defining nutrient content of ingredients, estimating digestibility, monitoring mixing/delivery, and communicating with the nutritionist based on animal performance monitoring.

1. Managing Variability in Feed
Ingredients and Feed Delivery

2. Managing Variability in Feed Ingredients and Feed
Delivery
Feed costs on dairies make up a considerable portion of
the total costs of milk production. In many cases feed
costs can be up to or greater than 60 % of the total cost
of production.
With this in mind, it is extremely important to get the
most from your feeding system. Those things in the
feeding system that can deliver the most to the bottom
line are managing your feed, maintaining equipment
and having people that do their job well with an
understanding of the impact on animals.

3. Managing Variability in Feed Ingredients and Feed
Delivery
In addition to the impact of feed costs, diet consistency
can also play a large role in whether a farm is
profitable.
It is imperative that lactating cows receive consistent
diets day-after-day to provide consistent rumen
function needed for high production levels.
Ultimately, improved economic and nutritional
efficiency is achieved when one achieves maximal
utilization of nutrients delivered to the farm.

4. Managing Variability in Feed Ingredients and Feed
Delivery
In this presentation we are going to look at:
• Reducing losses of nutrients during harvest of
forages, storage, feeding mixing and delivery. This
collectively is often referred to as “shrink”.
• Maintaining quality of the feed b/w storage and
consumption by the cow.
• Accurately defining the nutrient composition of
ingredients used in the ration.
• Accurately estimating the digestibility of the
nutrients consumed by dairy cattle.

5. Managing Variability in Feed Ingredients and Feed
Delivery
• Communicating in a timely fashion with nutritionists
on a regular to permit formulation of rations which
promote high nutrient and economic efficiency.
• Monitoring the mixing and delivery of rations to
assure compliance with recommendations of the
nutritionist.
• Monitoring animal performance and transmitting
information to the nutritionist and management
personnel.

6. Shrink
Shrink is an incredibly underestimated area of loss on
farms. I have seen shrink as high as 30 % on farms that
don’t harvest and store hay bales in a proper manner.
Some of the biggest areas of shrink include:
1. Un-paved feed storage area/mud.
2. Lack of feeder expectations, training and feedback.
3. Wet feeds and silage not well covered due to not
enough tires, holes in plastic, and plastic billowing in
the wind.

7. Shrink

8. Shrink
4. Wind blowing feed away.
5. Poor silage face management.
6. Inadequate packing of silage leading to reduced
silage densities and excessive fermentation loss.
7. Excessive refusals.
8. Loading too many ingredients into the mixer.
9. Inaccurate loading of ingredients into the mixer.
10. Scale accuracy on the mixer.

9. Maintain quality of the feed b/w storage and
consumption by the cow.
Nutrient loss can account for a large loss of profitability
on the farm. Little thought is given to the consequence
of nutrient instability of feed ingredients. This is
especially critical when feeds have elevated moisture
levels.
Silages and wet by-products are ingredients that
typically heat causing loss of energy and protein, but
heating is also found in drier feeds from time to time.

10. Maintain quality of the feed b/w storage and
consumption by the cow.
Opportunities for losses of energy and protein due to
heating can be reduced by following a few simple
guidelines for managing silages:
1. Pack silages adequately to allow for proper fermentation.
2. Cover as soon as possible after packing to reduce oxygen exposure.
3. During feed out, remove only enough plastic for two days feeding.
4. Keep silage faces smooth and vertical.
5. Remove just enough silage for the feeding period.
6. Avoid leaving loose silage at the silage face or in the mixing area for more
than 8 hours.
7. Consider using an inoculant containing at ensiling.

11. Accurately define the nutrient composition of
ingredients used in the ration.
All feeds, but particularly the forages, should be
analyzed on a regular basis:
 Dry matters on all wet forages and by-products should be
done frequently, on larger farms that may be daily. My clients
prefer the Koster Oven method because it is safer than the
micro wave oven method but either will do.
 Penn State Shaker Box particle analysis should be done on a
weekly basis or whenever a change occurs in a TMR. I like to
see all milking and dry groups done.

12. Accurately define the nutrient composition of
ingredients used in the ration.

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PENN STATE SHAKER BOX

14. Accurately define the nutrient composition of
ingredients used in the ration.
 Remember to communicate dry matter and Shaker Box as well
as feed refusal values results to your nutritionist.
 I encourage my clients to submit forages for analysis once a
month or when a bunk change occurs. Some people think this
is excessive but we are very fortunate in North America and
access to fast, reliable, relatively inexpensive labs which
makes testing frequently justifiable.
 Some years it may be prudent to be checking mould and
mycotoxin loads in ingredients.

15. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
Many variables can affect feed intake and digestibility.
These include:
 Animal factors including breed type, age, body
weight, sex, stage of lactation, stage of pregnancy,
and general health.
As milk production goes up, DM intake increases.
During pregnancy, dairy cows steadily decrease DM
intake. At the start of the dry period, intake falls
sharply and remains low until a week to a few days
before parturition.

16. 16
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1 2 3 4 5
Periods
Month
Freshening
Body Stores
Used for
Milk Production
Body Stores
Regained for
Next Lactation
Dry Period
Rumen
Rehab
Nutrient and Milk Yield Relationships in
the Lactation and Gestation Cycle
Dry Matter Intake

17. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
Weather.Seasonal, long-term weather
patterns as well as day-to-day weather changes can
influence feed intake.
By anticipating and reacting to changes in
temperature, humidity, wind velocity, barometric
pressure, and precipitation, predicting dry matter
intake intake, feed wastage and bunk cleaning can be
minimized.

18. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
Cows consume the majority of their feed
during the comfortable period of the day. In hot
weather, cows eat primarily during the late
evening, night, and early morning. Therefore, 60%
of the ration should be fed at the afternoon feeding
to reduce feed spoilage.
In cold weather, most eating occurs from mid-morning
to late afternoon, so the largest amount of feed offered
should be at the morning feeding.

19. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
 Ration ingredients and characteristics.High quality
feed must be presented to cows in a consistent and
uniform manner.
TMRs should contain about 50% moisture. Rations
that are too wet or too dry can limit DM intake.
Keeping fresh feed in the feed bunk is also a good
management practice. Old feed remaining in the
feed bunk can shorten bunk life of new feed and
reduce DM intake.

20. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
 Water supply.Many producers overlook the
importance of water availability as it relates to bunk
management, including the amount of water, space
provided, and the location of water sources.
Problems that limit water intake also can limit feed
intake, and this, in turn, can reduce milk production
and overall cow performance. Poor water quality or
lack of water can cause cattle to go off feed quickly.

21. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
As temperature and humidity go up, more water
is required. During months of hot weather, water
supply becomes an important issue.
Cows drink
most of their daily water requirements around
milking time. They should have access to water in
holding pens during milking or right after.

22. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
 Feed bunk design.Good feed bunk design is
also essential to optimizing DM intake.
Dairy cows should have the equivalent of the width of
one cow of bunk space each to allow all of them to eat
at the same time. Some designs such as 3-row and 6-
row barns limit the space per cow.
The feed bunk should be 4 to 6
Inches (10 to15 cm) higher than the alley, so the cow
can have a natural grazing position when eating.

23. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
Cows consuming feed at ground level waste less feed,
and this position also helps the cow to produce more
saliva and improves the
buffering capacity in the rumen.
In addition, the condition of the feeding
surface can affect DM intake. Feed bunks must
have smooth surfaces such as tiles or an epoxy coating.

24. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
 Feeding management and systems.Cows are animals
of habit, they like routine. If a change is needed,
cows must have time to adjust:
 Monitor DM intake to see if the change improved
consumption or did not affect it at all.
 Deliver enough ration so that 0 to 5% is left over each day
or feeding period. Make sure that the feed left over is
similar to the TMR or the feed that is being fed.
 Feed as many times as possible It is important to keep
feed available any time the cattle are willing to eat, which
could be 20 to 22 hours a day.

25. Monitor the mixing and delivery of rations to assure
compliance with recommendations of the nutritionist.
One of the most important aspects of managing
variability in feed ingredients and feed delivery
concerns the condition and function of feeding
equipment.Mixers, scales, loaders, and other
equipment often overlooked as critical points for
consistent diet production.
Mixer condition
Scale accuracy
Improper ingredient loading. I get a LOT of questions
from producers about this!

26. 26

27. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
The following order is usually recommended:
1.Large squares or rounds of hay/straw (if not pre-
processed.
2. Dry fine ingredients/feed additives
3. Cotton seed and/or on-farm premixes
4. Haylage
5. Corn silage
6. Wet byproducts
7. Liquids

28. Accurately estimate the digestibility of the nutrients
consumed by dairy cattle.
It is important to keep low inclusion products
toward the front of the mix order to allow for
complete distribution in the diet.
Care should also be taken to make sure dry fine
ingredients are either mixed thoroughly throughout
the mix, and/or added before wetter feeds. This
helps prevent clumping of ingredients that may
prevent complete dispersal

29. Monitoring animal performance and transmitting information
to the nutritionist and management personnel.
And finally I can’t emphasis enough the
importance in excellent communication b/w all
members of the herds “Team” including:
 The producer and all employees including
agronomists.
 The nutritionist
 The herd veterinarian
 The hoof trimmer
 The ingredient supply company
 Others

30. Monitoring animal performance and transmitting information
to the nutritionist and management personnel.
With my clients I monitor on a regular basis:
Monitoring milk components and SCC
MUN’s and bacterial counts
Manure scoring and screening
Urine pH in dry cows receiving anionic salts
Blood NEFA
Urine ketone bodies
Milk urea nitrogen
Rumen pH (rumenocentesis)