Making sustainable dairy farming more profitable

Selko LactiBute improves hindgut health and reduces systemic immune activation in cattle. As a result, starch levels in the faeces decline, faecal pH increases and averag daily gain of beef cattle fed Selko LactiBute is improved by 95 grams/day.

Selko LactiBute improves hindgut health and reduces systemic immune activation. As a result, energy partition improves and more energy is available for the dairy cow to produce milk. A trial with Selko LactiBute for dairy cattle was carried out in Poland. Selko LactiBute increased milk production by 2.77 kg per cow per day.

A trial with Selko LactiBute in dairy cattle was carried out on 3 dairy farms in France. Milk production of cows treated with Selko LactiBute was compared to the predicted milk production based on genetic potential of the herd. Selko LactiBute improved persistence of milk production. Before the start of the trial, milk production in all 3 dairy herds was equal to the genetic potential of the dairy cows in the herd. During the 4 month period that the cows were on Selko LactiBute, differences in milk production of up to 2.7 kg of milk per day were observed.

Selko LactiBute was tested in 6 Dutch commercial dairy farms. Compared to controls and compared to their genetic potential, dairy cows fed Selko LactiBute had an increase of ECM production of 0.8-1 kg.

A trial in cattle showed that Selko LactiBute, containing rumen protected calcium gluconate had a prebiotic effect in the hindgut of cattle. This resulted in increased levels of acetate and propionate and a trend towards higher levels of butyrate in the hindgut. Butyrate can reduce the risk of hindgut acidosis in dairy cows.

During the transition to lactation, dairy cows have to undergo metabolic adaptation, digestive adaptation and immune adaptation. Recent advances in ruminant nutrition highlight the importance of hindgut health as a prerequisite for a smooth digestive adaptation.

Rising feed costs and the cost of producing forage are presenting a major challenge to dairy farmers. Improving feed efficiency is therefore crucial to ensure dairy farm profitability. Heat stress is becoming more common. It results in a reduction of dry matter intake in combination with systemic inflammation as a result of “leaky gut”.

To calculate the carbon footprint of a dairy farm, the farmer needs to know the amount of CO₂eq per mT of their feed. Feed manufacturers therefore need to know the CO₂eq number all ingredients they use, including the trace mineral source they use. The LCA for the production of Selko IntelliBond trace minerals provides feed manufacturers with an independent verification on the CO₂eq number of their trace mineral source.

Methane emissions from cattle have become a growing concern due to their significant contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. As the demand for meat and dairy products continues to rise, finding effective methane mitigation strategies to reduce methane emissions from cattle is crucial to reach targets set by governments and milk processors. In this article, we will explore various mitigation strategies to reduce methane.

Methane from cows, commonly known as cow methane, contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Livestock, including cattle, are responsible for about 35% of anthropogenic methane emissions in the US. Methane, despite being emitted in smaller quantities compared to carbon dioxide, has a more potent warming effect. Therefore, it is crucial to address cow methane emissions to combat climate change effectively. This article explores the sources of methane emissions from cows, the impact of methane on the climate, and strategies for reducing cow methane emissions.

Learn from Dr. Ermias Kebreab, Associate Dean and Professor of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis, a renowned expert in animal nutrition and environmental impact, about effective strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy cattle, such as the use of methane reducing feed additives.

Discover methods to minimize methane production in cows and achieve net zero livestock production by 2050. Explore the valuable insights shared during the webinar "Effective strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy cattle" and learn how different stakeholders in the industry can contribute to reducing methane emissions from cattle and dairy carbon footprint.

Keep dairy cows milking as well as possible with high milk quality when they hit spring grass. Ensure dairy cows are pregnant and that calving intervals of dairy cows are not dragging out as this will have implications for the next lactation. Keep cows healthy and ensure they are not lame, making them ready to graze. Find out more about tuning the diet of a dairy herd at turnout.

Feed restriction and heat stress might can cause hind gut acidosis and "leaky gut" in dairy cows. Nutritional strategies can help mitigate the effects of leaky gut in dairy cows. Zinc can reduce oxidative stress in dairy cows and can also improve the immune response. Hydroxy chloride trace minerals have a higher bio-availability than sulfate-based trace minerals. The increased amounts of zinc available to the dairy cow supports better enterocyte health and reduces bacterial infiltration and the occurrence of systemic inflammation in dairy cows.

Selko IntelliBond M and Selko Optimin Mn were compared to other manganese trace minerals in a model to compare apparent organic matter disappearance (aOMD) and apparent microbial biomass production (aMBP). Selko IntelliBond M and Selko Optimin Mn had a greater aOMD and aMBP than the other managnese trace minerals. It has been shown that improved rumen fermentation parameters correlate with lactational performance of dairy cattle.

Selko IntelliBond hydroxy trace minerals were compared to sulfate trace mineral sources in the Fermentrics model. Apparent organic matter disappearance (aOMD) and apparent microbial biomass production (aMBP) were measured. Both parameters correlate with rumen fermentation. Selko IntelliBond trace minerals were superior to sulfate trace minerals in the Fermentrics model, suggesting that rumen of dairy cows on Selko IntelliBond trace minerals will be improved, resulting in a better lactational performance.

Selko IntelliBond Z was compared to alternative trace mineral zinc sources in the Fermentrics model, which measures apparent organic matter disappearance (aOMD) and apparent microbial biomass production (aMBP). Selko IntelliBond Z was superior to all other sources of zinc tested. It has been shown that these parameters for rumen function of dairy cows correlate with lactational performance.

During the EAAP congress, Professor Spears will discuss research that indicates that hydroxy sources of Zn and Cu are metabolized differently in the rumen than sulfate sources. This have an impact on fiber digestibility of dairy cattle.Limited research suggests that trace mineral source may affect the rumen microbiome of dairy cows.

Feed effciency of dairy cows can be used to measure performance, to monitor income over feed costs and to reduce the amount of methane produced per kg of milk. Digestibility of feed has a big impact on feed efficiency. Fibre digestibility can be improved by using hydroxy trace minerals instead of sulphates.

A trial showed that feeding IntelliBond hydroxy trace minerals instead of sulphates improved rumen health, and increased NDF digestibility, production of volatile fatty acids and production of milk in dairy cows, resulting in an increase of feed efficiency.

Compared to hydroxy trace minerals for dairy cattle, suplhate trace minerals are highly soluble and as a result, can have a strong negative impact on palatbility of cattle feed.

Including hydroxy trace minerals in a dairy ration reduces losses as a result of leaching in case of exposure to poor weather conditions

Hydroxy trace minerals dissociate mainly in the abomasum, avoiding high concentrations of trace metals in the rumen with a negative impact on rumen flora. As a result, digestibility of fibre and feed efficiency are improved, while maintaining an excellent bioavailability of zinc, copper and manganese to the animal.

Extensive mobilisation of body fat after calving can cause inflammation in dairy cows. Morbidity after calving is high. Post-partum diseases of dairy cows often result in systemic inflammation in dairy cattle, altering partition of nutrients to favor control of infection and tissue repair. This results in a decrease in milk production but also in impaired follicle growth, reduced oocyt and conceptus quality and poor development of the morula, causing long-term negative effects on fertility and reproduction of dairy cows.

Fertility is an important driver of dairy farm profitability. Poor fertility can significantly reduce the lifespan of dairy cows. IntelliBond hydroxy trace minerals have a positive effect on reproductive perfomance. Trials have shown that embryo quality is significantly improved and pregnancy rates of heifers and cows after artificial insemination are higher if they are fed IntelliBond hydroxy trace minerals.

Bulls supplemented with IntelliBond hydroxy trace minerals produced sperm with greater progressive motility, and greater sperm concentration. Cu and Zn hydroxychloride contained within IntelliBond are more bioavailable and more readily stored within the animal compared with Cu and Zn sulfate, resulting in an improvement of sperm quality of breeding bulls.

Managing the challenges that cows are facing in the transition period will have a strong positive impact on fertility and will reduce involuntary culling. A further improvement of dairy herd fertility can be reached by monitoring some key fertility parameters in a systematic way and translating this into specific actions.

In autumn, TMR preservation with Selko TMR Dry proves to be vital for dairy performance. A recent study in Italy revealed that despite moderate temperatures of 21°C (=70 °F), spoilage risks remained. Selko TMR Dry curbed TMR heating, reducing feed waste and improving palatability. Over 60 days, 122 cows showed that Selko TMR Dry not only sustained TMR quality but led to a notable 0.9 kg/h/d increase in milk production. This underscores its role in enhancing feed efficiency and milk output, even during cooler seasons.

In a trial at Kempenshof Ruminant Research Centre involving 120 dairy cows, Selko TMR maintained TMR freshness and improved palatability, evidenced by reduced feeding times. Despite no significant change in dry matter intake, cows on Selko TMR exhibited a notable increase in milk yield, particularly a 1.7 kg rise in the 5th week, and significantly higher milk solids, highlighting its effectiveness in enhancing dairy production during warm weather.

Breeding for feed intake capacity reduces the feed efficiency of dairy cattle, but breeding for feed efficiency traits also reduces the feed intake capacity. Efficient dairy cows utilise roughage better for milk production but do not eat more compound feed.

Fermentation reduces feed value and palatability of the dairy ration - Fresh forage contains microbes such as bacteria, yeasts and mould. It is a mixture of beneficial microbes, such as lactic acid forming bacteria and undesired microbes such as clostridia or moulds. Proliferation of microbes in silages initially leads to consumption of the oxygen trapped in the silage. Once all oxygen is consumed, growth of anaerobic lactate forming bacteria decreases the pH of the silage. This acidification results in stability of the silage.

Explore how aflatoxins impact dairy cow health and milk safety. Learn about effective strategies for managing this risk and ensuring high-quality dairy production.

Professor Antonio Gallo shares his insights on the critical impact of mycotoxins in cattle feed on rumen health and dairy cattle productivity. Learn about symptoms, prevention strategies, and the effects of aflatoxins on milk quality. Discover new insights from the 2023 EAAP congress and innovative mycotoxin binders for effective dairy feed decontamination.

During a webinar on October 27, 2022, Dr. Swamy Haladi, Selko Global Programme Manager Mycotoxin Risk Management dispelled the prevalent myth that ruminants are better equipped to manage mycotoxin exposure than other livestock species are. Learn why mitigation strategies must go beyond conventional binding approaches and how a multi-pronged strategy can leverage multiple mechanisms to manage and mitigate mycotoxin issues in dairy cattle.

Newly emergingmycotoxins of dairy cattle are neither routinely determined, nor legislatively regulated. However, the incidence of fusarium mycotoxins problems in ruminants is rapidly increasing. Watch the webinar of Professor Antonio Gallo about the impact of fusarium produced mycotoxins on the performance of dairy cows and a recent research update on mitigation strategies for mycotoxicosis. It includes the impact of mycotoxins on milk quality of dairy cattle.

Diagnosing problems with mycotoxins in dairy cattle is not always easy and requires testing for mycotoxins in combination with silage analysis for molds. Mycotoxin binders included in a mycotoxin mitigation programme should bind mycotoxins and improve gut health, immunity and anti-oxidant status of dairy cows.

Impact of mycotoxins in cattle feed, how to assess the risk of mycotoxins in dairy and how to diagnose mycotoxins symptoms in cattle.

During the EAAP congress, Professor Spears will discuss research that indicates that hydroxy sources of Zn and Cu are metabolized differently in the rumen than sulfate sources. This have an impact on fiber digestibility of dairy cattle.Limited research suggests that trace mineral source may affect the rumen microbiome of dairy cows.

Five important drivers of feed conversion rate and feed efficiency increase profits and sustainability of dairy farms.