Feeding Management Practices on California Dairies

Transcription

1 Feeding Management Practices on California Dairies N. Silva-del-Río, DVM, PhD UC Cooperative Extension Tulare Co. J. M. Heguy, MS UC Cooperative Extension Stanislaus & San Joaquin Co. Alfonso Lago, DVM, DAVP-Dairy, PhD APC Inc.

2 Objectives 1. Describe current feeding management practices on California s Central Valley dairies. 2. Identify opportunities to optimize feeding management.

3 Methodology In summer 29, a feeding management survey was mailed to dairy producers in Tulare, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin; the first, third and seventh largest dairy counties in California.

4 Methodology Producers received an envelope containing: 1) an invitation letter to participate in the study, 2) a double sided one-page survey, and 3) a pre-paid return envelope.

5 Participant Dairies Response rate was 16.9% (12/71). Herd size range: 16 to 6,6 lactating cows (median=95).

6 Results Outline Feeds used in Central Valley s dairies TMR Preparation and Mixing Equipment Feed Bunk Management Practices in High Producing Pens Software and Monitoring Tools

7 Feeds

8 What forages Forages do you feed? 12 1 Dairies (n) Alfalfa hay Corn Sillage Oat hay Cereal silages Wheat straw Alfalfa Silage Sudan grass Rice Straw Alfalfa fresh chop Corn Earlage Alfalfa hay and corn silage are the two most common forages fed to dairy cows in California dairies. Cereal hay and silage are also frequently fed.

9 Dairies (n) Almond Hulls Canola pellets What byproducts and grains Byproducts and Grains do you feed? fed? Corn grain, flaked Cottonseed whole lint Soybean, meal Corn gluten meal Cottonseed, pima Distiller's grains Molasses Whey Fat (inert, animal, liquid) Wheatmidds/millrum Urea Soy hulls Citrus pulp Beet pulp Cottonseed, meal Rice bran Barley Rolled Brewer's grains Corn grain, ground Lindseed, meal Hominy Soyplus/Soybest Corn, germ Carrot pulp Lindseed, pellets BrandyPomace Very diverse byproducts are incorporated into dairy rations. This is a result of a vibrant local agriculture industry. Almond hulls and cottonseed (whole lint and pima) are the two most common byproducts.

10 What Other additives Feed Ingredients Additives do you feed? 6 Dairies (n) 4 2 Rumensin Anionic Salts Sodium bicarbonate Yeast Niacin Methionine Rumensin, anionic salts, sodium bicarbonate and yeast supplements are common additives used in dairy rations.

11 TMR Preparation and Mixing Equipment

12 What type of mixer wagon do you have? Primary Mixer Wagon 6 5 (n=112/12) Dairies (n) Truck Mounted Trailer Mounted Stationary Horizontal Type of Mixer Wagon Vertical Primary mixer wagons are either truck mounted or trailer mounted. Vertical mixers are more popular than horizontal mixers.

13 What type of mixer wagon do you have? Secondary TMR 2:Type Mixer Wagon 6 5 Dairies (n) Truck Mounted Trailer Mounted Stationary Horizontal Type of Mixer Wagon Vertical No one type of mixer wagon is more popular than another.

14 In which order are feeds added to the mixer? Vertical Mixer Wagon Hay Horizontal Mixer Wagon Dairies (n) Dairies (n) Order of Ingredients 1

15 In which order are feeds added to the mixer? Vertical Mixer Wagon Hay Silage Horizontal Mixer Wagon Dairies (n) Dairies (n) Order of Ingredients

16 In which order are feeds added to the mixer? Vertical Mixer Wagon Hay Silage Grains Horizontal Mixer Wagon Dairies (n) Dairies (n) Order of Ingredients

17 In which order are feeds added to the mixer? Vertical Mixer Wagon Hay Silage Grains Min Vit Horizontal Mixer Wagon Dairies (n) Dairies (n) Order of Ingredients

18 In which order are feeds added to the mixer? Vertical Mixer Wagon Hay Silage Grains Min Vit Protein Mix Horizontal Mixer Wagon Dairies (n) Dairies (n) Order of Ingredients

19 How long is the TMR mixing time (addition of first ingredient to the end of mixing before feed delivery)? 3 (n=94/12) Dairies (%) 2 1 <= >2 TMR Mixing Time (min) The distribution of the targeted TMR mixing time varies widely (range: 3-35 min).

20 How long is the TMR mixing time (addition of first ingredient to the end of mixing before feed delivery)? (n=94/12) Dairies (%) What explains this distribution? Should we be concerned about it? <= >2 TMR Mixing Time (min) The distribution of the targeted TMR mixing time varies widely (range: 3-35 min).

21 Do you evaluate particle length of TMR using a Penn State Separator? 5 (n=112/12) 4 Dairies (%) % 1 1x d 1x wk 2x mon 1x mon 4x yr 1-2x yr Never Frequency of particle size separator use Only forty-three percent of producers evaluate TMR particle length at least once a month.

22 Do you evaluate particle length of TMR using a Penn State Separator? 5 (n=112/12) Dairies (%) % How often is it necessary to monitor particle length? Is once a month enough? 1x d 1x wk 2x mon 1x mon 4x yr 1-2x yr Never Frequency of particle size separator use Only forty-three percent of producers evaluate TMR particle length at least once a month.

23 How often do you calibrate the mixer wagon scale? 5 (n=11/12) 4 Dairies (%) % 1 <1x mon 4x yr 2x yr 1x yr Never Frequency of checking mixer scale Seventy-nine percent of producers checked the mixer scale at least once a year. But, only 19 % checked it at least monthly. The mixer wagon was calibrated by an outside service (6%) or an in house employee (4%)

24 How often do you calibrate the mixer wagon scale? 5 (n=11/12) Dairies (%) % How important is the mixer calibration? How often should we do it? <1x mon 4x yr 2x yr 1x yr Never Frequency of checking mixer scale Seventy-nine percent of producers checked the mixer scale at least once a year. But, only 19 % checked it at least monthly. The mixer wagon was calibrated by an outside service (6%) or an in house employee (4%)

25 Feed Bunk Management Practices in High Producing Pens

26 How many times a day is the TMR fed? % (n=111/12) Dairies (%) > 3 Times a day TMR is fed Most producers, 64%, fed TMR twice a day (range=1-6).

27 How many times a day is the TMR fed? 7 64 % (n=111/12) Dairies (%) Is 1x/d feeding enough, especially in summer? What are the advantages of 6x/d feeding? > 3 Times a day TMR is fed Most producers, 64%, fed TMR twice a day (range=1-6).

28 How many times a day is the feed pushed-up? % (n=111/12) Dairies (%) >13 Times a day the feed is pushed-up Half of the producers pushed-up the fed 1 to 4 times a day. Only 1% of the dairies pushed the feed 9 or more times (range:1-2).

29 How many times a day is the feed pushed-up? Dairies (%) % (n=111/12) Does pushing the feed 1-4 times guarantee that cows always have feed available? >13 Times a day the feed is pushed-up Half of the producers pushed-up the fed 1 to 4 times a day. Only 1% of the dairies pushed the feed 9 or more times (range:1-2).

30 Do you feed for refusals? What percentage? 44.4% YES (n=115)

31 Do you feed for refusals? What percentage? % 44.4% YES (n=115) Dairies (%) < = 3 > 3 to 5 > 5 Refusals (%) Fifty-four percent of producers feeding for refusals are targeting 3% or less (range: 1-1%)

32 Do you feed for refusals? What percentage? Dairies (%) % 44.4% YES (n=115) What are the practical implications of feeding for 1 vs 1% of refusals? 1 < = 3 > 3 to 5 > 5 Refusals (%) Fifty-four percent of producers feeding for refusals are targeting 3% or less (range: 1-1%)

33 What do you do with the refusals? 6 5 Dairies (%) Discarded Lactating cows Dry cows Heifers Destination of Refusals Combination Refusals are commonly feed to heifers.

34 How many times a week are feed bunks cleaned? % (n=11/12) Dairies (%) x wk 2 x wk 3-6 x wk 7 x wk 1x wk 2x wk 3-6x wk 7x wk Frequency of feed bunk cleaning Forty percent of the dairies clean feed bunks daily. However, 23% of dairies clean feed bunks only once a week.

35 How often was the ration for high producing cows reformulated in 28? (n=15/12) Dairies (%) % 8 8 > <16 > >1 Frequency of ration reformulation in 28 Forty-two percent of small herds reported that rations were reformulated between 2 to 4 times a year.

36 How often was the ration for high producing cows reformulated in 28? (n=15/12) Dairies (%) % 8 > <16 > >1 Frequency of ration reformulation in 28 Forty-one percent of medium size herds reported that rations were reformulated between 5 to 7 times a during 28.

37 How often was the ration for high producing cows reformulated in 28? (n=15/12) 6 8 > <16 >16 16 Dairies (%) % >1 Frequency of ration reformulation in 28 Thirty-seven percent of large dairies reported that rations were reformulated more than 1 times during 28 (range: 1-24).

38 How often do you evaluate corn silage dry matter? 4 52 % (n=11/12) Dairies (%) < 1wk 1x wk 2x mon 1x mon 6x yr 2x yr 1x yr Frequency of dry matter determination Corn silage dry matter was evaluated at least once a month in 52.3% of dairies. Only 8.3% of dairies determined DM weekly, or more often. Most dairies delegated DM determination to an outside nutrition consultant (86.6%).

39 How often do you evaluate corn silage dry matter? 4 52 % (n=11/12) Dairies (%) < 1wk 1x wk 2x mon 1x mon 6x yr 2x yr 1x yr Frequency of dry matter determination How often should forage dry matter be determined? Corn silage dry matter was evaluated at least once a month in 52.3% of dairies. Only 8.3% of dairies determined DM weekly, or more often. Most dairies delegated DM determination to an outside nutrition consultant (86.6%).

40 Software and Monitoring Tools

41 Do you have herd management software? 6 (n=112/12) 5 Dairies (%) None Dairy Comp 35 Dairy Comp 35 DHI-Plus DHIA-Plus Others Herd Management Software Dairy Comp 35 and DHI-Plus are the most commonly used herd management software.

42 Do you have feed management software? 6 (n=112/12) 5 Dairies (%) None Feed Watch EZ-Feed Others Feed management software Forty four percent of dairies utilize feed management software. EZ-feed and Feed Watch are the most popular software programs.

43 What do you monitor with your feed management software program? 1 (n=46/46) 8 Dairies (%) Intakes Errors by feeders Cost of feed TMR ingredient order Feed software uses Feed delivery time Inventory Feed management software programs are commonly used to monitor intakes (91%) and less used to check inventory (5%).

44 Do you monitor feed efficiency and milk urea nitrogen? Dairies (%) 7 YES NO (n=86/12) Feed Efficiency MUN 1 2 (n=9/12) Sixty-two percent of the dairies monitor feed efficiency. Thirty-four percent of the dairies monitor milk urea nitrogen.

45 Results Interpretation Only 17% of the dairies returned the survey. It is unknown if the results from this survey represent Central Valley dairies (selection bias). Dairy owner and manager responses are subjective and their responses may not represent actual feeding management practices at the dairy (information bias). Results from this survey suggest that feeding management practices vary greatly across dairies. And, we still need to know.

46 We Still Need to Know If producers are doing what they are reporting. If feeding management practices vary across dairies in response to individual needs. If current feeding management practices are leading to desirable outcomes (particle length of the ration, feed availability in the feed bunk, weight accuracy of ingredients, etc). If the ration fed differs from the ration formulated and how feeding management practices impact that (calibration of the wagon scale, forages dry matter, feeders errors, etc). If undesirable outcomes and errors impact health and production. What bottlenecks that prevent the implementation of best feeding management practices can be overcome (managerial, resources, educational, etc).

47 Acknowledgements California Dairy Producers Tulare DHIA Dr Steve Stewart Manuel Soares

48 Agriculture/Dairy_Science.htm

49 THANKS