Up to 60 days of fermentation before feeding can improve starch digestibility, particularly with high-moisture corn, reports Dr. Bill Mahanna, Pioneer Global Nutritional Sciences Manager. It’s important, though, to control fermentation, keeping feedstuffs fresh and reducing shrink losses. When feeding both high-moisture corn and corn silage, ensiling can help head off issues like spring acidosis. The overall goal is a … Read More
Export Opportunities in the Middle East
It may come as a surprise, but many nations in the Middle East offer growing markets for U.S. produced dairy products, especially cheese. In this report from the U.S. Dairy Export Council, you can hear from Nina Dakht who manages market development programs for the USCDEC in the middle east region. Brian Baxter has more on this U.S. dairy export … Read More
Grain Particles: The Relationship of Size to Speed
Among dairy nutritionists, grain particle size is of increasing interest, particularly for high-moisture corn. Intuition suggests the smaller the particles, the faster the starch digestion. Dr. Bill Mahanna, Pioneer Global Nutritional Sciences Manager, confirms this. In addition, he calls attention to the importance of particle hardness and distribution in processing for improved feed value. Bill also offers insight on what … Read More
Get a Virtual Dairy Tour
Here’s a report from the Dairy Checkoff. Research suggests that today’s consumers are interested more than ever before about where their food comes from. In an effort to show the public how high-quality dairy products get from the farm to consumers’ tables, a producer-funded Web site, takes visitors on a virtual tour of a dairy farm. Brian Baxter has more … Read More
Heating With Propane and No Water Tank
This week I’m attending Propane Days going on here in Washington, DC. This annual event is put on by the National Propane Gas Association and sponsored by the Propane Education & Research Council. I ran into an interesting project that PERC is working on with a company called Rinnai. This is a company that makes gas fired appliances and one … Read More
Weighing in on Kernel Vitreousness
Issues on ruminant starch digestibility (STRD) include vitreousness—harder starch—vs. soft, floury endosperm in commercial corn germplasm. As part of a series of Pioneer Forage Forum segments highlighting STRD research, Dr. Bill Mahanna, Pioneer Global Nutritional Sciences Manager, condenses decades of research on this topic. His review includes recent conclusions, with viewpoints on how to identify real-world findings and make practical … Read More
Starch Digestibility: Concentrate on the Controllable
While ruminant starch digestibility (STRD) is a complex subject, producers’ control can be simplified by addressing basic critical factors: harvest moisture, particle size and length of time in fermentation. Dr. Bill Mahanna, Pioneer Global Nutritional Sciences Manager, offers details, particularly on the influence of moisture and the extent of fermentation in high moisture corn. This is the first in a … Read More
Alltech Symposium Speaker
Dairy consultant Dr. Charlie Elrod of Springfield Farm Enterprises in Newfield, New York was a speaker att Alltech’s 23rd International Feed Industry Symposium in Lexington, Kentucky earlier this month. Canadian ag journalist Harry Siemens interviewed Dr. Elrod of Springfield Farm Enterprises about Alltech products and the importance of considering the effects of feed and water on a cow’s rumen. Listen … Read More
AI Program in Iraq
We sure don’t hear much good news from Iraq in our mainstream media these days so I’m glad someone is making the effort to do so. It’s at best unfortunate what we’re seeing and hearing from traditional media and many of our politicians today. One guy who is still trying to get out the good news is Paul McKellips, US … Read More
Alfalfa Traits: Manage by Objective
To optimize alfalfa performance, one-size-fits-all is no longer in style. Today’s grower can tailor variety selection to manage specific production challenges, observes Dave Miller, Alfalfa Research Director for Pioneer Hi-Bred. The result can be a better fit with bottom-line goals. This includes production objectives based on quantity or quality, as well as defensive objectives for insects, disease and standability. Dave … Read More