Feed and Forage [DA.FF]
Feeding and Ensiling Potatoes for Cattle
Stockfeed potatoes are a viable energy feed for cattle and a useful additive to ensiled forage when managed correctly. They offer an economical alternative to cereals but require: Gradual introduction into diets …
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Nutritional Opportunities from EFA Greening
With EFA greening changes coming into place in 2026, many farms will grow new crops that can be utilised as home grown feed for dairy cattle. These crops include nitrogen fixing plants like clover, lucerne and beans, whilst others include…
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Putting Pasture to Work in your Dairy System
Margins are tightening in dairying, the average cost of production in 2024/25 was calculated at 48.5ppl with the average farm gate milk price reaching a high of 46.56ppl in October 25. The sharp…
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Organic Mineral Supplementation
There is good evidence to support the use of organic trace elements in dairy cow nutrition. While mineral supplementation makes up a very small part of a dairy ration (<1%)…
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Forage Budgeting Guide for the Dairy Herd
Introduction Forage budgeting is a useful management tool to plan feed stocks ahead for the coming year. It should be carried out six to eight weeks after all forages have…
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Feeding the Milking Herd at Grass – What to Consider?
With many cows now turned out to grass, the science of balancing buffer feeding is tricky when often grass intake and quality is unknown. If you want to know if…
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MMN March 2025 – Fodder Beet in Milking Rations
Fodder beet has surged in popularity for outwintering livestock, providing one of the highest yielding energy crops (65-90T of bulb and leaf yield/ha). While the crop may only be around…
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MMN March 2025 – The Multiple Roles of Methionine
Methionine is an essential amino acid for dairy cows and is the first limiting amino acid for milk production, followed by lysine. Typically miking rations are deficient in methionine, with…
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MMN January 2025 – What to Use if Draff is Unavailable
Draff has become an important feed source within the dairy industry over the years, providing a good source of digestible energy and protein. The typical crude protein content of draff…
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MMN January 2025 – The Importance of Sugar in a Dairy Ration
The sugar content of dairy diets is often not given much consideration, with more focus usually given to energy, protein and starch levels. While the sugar content of the ration…
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