Management strategies: the nutrition program

Abstract

Reduced milk prices and greater feed costs dictate that dairy farmers carefully manage their nutrition program in order to maintain profitable milk production. Reducing feed cost by feeding less will result in lower milk production and less income over feed cost. Some by-product feeds are less expensive than traditional grain mixes and can be fed to reduce feed cost and maintain greater income over feed cost. Poorer quality hay is less expensive than better quality hay, but income over feed cost will be reduced when low quality hay is purchased and fed.