CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Feed costs are the most expensive input on dairy farms, often accounting for 46% to 66% of milk income. With projected tighter margins into late fall and winter, the importance of feed management should be a top priority for dairy farmers.

To determine any bottlenecks in your feeding system, the Penn State Extension Dairy Team offers feeding assessments, a free service to Pennsylvania dairy farmers. During the farm consultation, the dairy educators help farmers determine opportunities related to how the feed is handled and managed on the farm. A feeding assessment can help farmers determine if what they are feeding at the bunk matches what their dairy nutritionist has formulated for the herd.

Prior to the on-farm visit, feed samples are collected and sent for a full nutrient analysis to compare how closely the ration delivered to the bunk matches the formulated ration provided to the producer. This is done at no cost to the producer.

While on the farm, the dairy educators will evaluate the farm feeding practices in relation to the following:

• mixing time
• mixing order
• particle size
• time of delivery
• feed push-up frequency
• refusal amounts

After the on-farm visit, data is analyzed along with milk production and performance records to help identify bottlenecks in production efficiency that may affect feed utilization and farm profitability. Following the assessment, a consultation is conducted with the producer to discuss findings and explore opportunities for implementing improved feeding management practices.

If you would like to improve your current feeding program to boost your milk production and increase your bottom line, consider doing a feeding assessment. For more information and to schedule an assessment, contact:

• Angela Breneman, Lancaster County Dairy Educator at 484-252-1607 or ads6573@psu.edu  

• Kasey Hower, Berks County Dairy Educator at 484-764-7204 or kzm175@psu.edu  

• Leoni Martins, Penn State assistant clinical professor of Precision Dairy at 814-863-1690 or leonimartins@psu.edu