Javascript is required to use this website.

Dairy Focus: Choosing Alternative Feedstuffs in a Fickle Marketplace

J.W. Schroeder, Dairy Specialist
Jan 21, 2015
Jan 21, 2015

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

NDSU Extension Service-Despite lower feed costs in recent months, declining farm-gate prices for milkwill have dairy farm managers sharpening their feed-planning pencils in search of cost-effective rations for 2015.

kAm(6==\32=2?465 C2E:@?D 2C6 4C:E:42= E@ E96 962=E9 2?5 H6==\36:?8 @7 E96 4@H 2?5 E96 52:CJ 6?E6CAC:D6]%96 4@DE @7 7665 42? C6AC6D6?E 2?JH96C6 7C@> dd E@ f_ A6C46?E @7 E96 4@DE @7 AC@5F4:?8 >:=< :? >@DE >:=<:?8 96C5D] %@ 4@?E:?F6 AC@G:5:?8 >:=< W2?5 >62EX 677:4:6?E=J 7@C 2 8C@H:?8 H@C=5 A@AF=2E:@?[ >2<:?8 DFC6 E96 72>:=J 72C> C6>2:?D 962=E9J 7:?2?4:2==J :D 4C:E:42=]k^Am

kAm%96 564=:?:?8 >:=< AC:46D 2?5 4@C? AC:46D E92E 2C6 =:<6=J E@ 36 G@=2E:=6 :? E96 ?6IE D6G6C2= >@?E9D H:== 36 :?7=F6?465 3J 7@CE94@>:?8 564:D:@?D @? 9@H >2?J 24C6D E@ A=2?E 2?5 4@>A=:42E65 3J H62E96C F?46CE2:?EJ :? E96 r@C? q6=E] %96D6 2C6 E96 >2<:?8D @7 2 7:4<=6 >2C<6E]k^Am

kAm~?6 E@@= 7@C >2?286CD =@@<:?8 7@C 96=A E@ 4@>A2C6 E96 C6=2E:G6 G2=F6 @7 E96 >2?J 7665D 2?5 3JAC@5F4ED 2G2:=23=6 E@52J :D ;FDE 2 4@FA=6 @7 4=:4<D 2H2J @? E96 (63 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^52:CJ>8E]:?7@^E@@=D]A9AQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm9EEAi^^52:CJ>8E]:?7@^E@@=D]A9Ak^2m] u665'2= a_`a :D 2 7C66 4@>AFE6C >@56= 7C@> E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 (:D4@?D:?\|25:D@?] xE :D 56D:8?65 E@ 96=A 72C>6CD >2<6 36EE6C 64@?@>:42= 564:D:@?D H96? AFC492D:?8 2?5 FD:?8 E96 7665 :?8C65:6?ED]k^Am

kAm%96 AC@8C2> 4@>AFE6D E96 ?FEC:6?E G2=F6 @7 4@>>@? 7665 :?8C65:6?ED DF49 2D D96==65 4@C? 2?5 D@J362? >62=] %96?[ 724E@C:?8 :? E96 AC:46 @7 E96 :?8C65:6?ED[ :E :?5:42E6D H96E96C E96 :?8C65:6?E :D 4@?D:56C65 2 32C82:?]k^Am

People are also reading…

Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Illinois brothers carry on dairy tradition
Better days for beets
Iowa dairy farm engages visitors while expanding operations
Screwworm spreads into 4 more counties
Interseeding outcompetes weeds, has host of other benefits
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Competition and camaraderie
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Happy Rock 4-H’er delivers buckets of smiles in Jefferson County
Rodeo legacy lives on in Wessington Springs Family
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Back Home
Biofuel expectations, crude oil continue driving oilseeds

kAm%96 AC@8C2> DE2CED @FE H:E9 5672F=E G2=F6D E92E C67=64E 4FCC6?E AC:46D :? E96 |:5H6DE[ 3FE FD6CD 42? AFE :? E96:C @H? AC:46D]k^Am

kAmu665'2= a_`a 42=4F=2E6D E96 AC65:4E65 G2=F6 2?5 E96 24EF2= AC:46 2D 2 A6C46?E286 @7 E96 AC65:4E65 G2=F6 WTX @7 2== :?8C65:6?ED WC@HDX 2G2:=23=6 :? E96 E23=6] %96 AC65:4E65 G2=F6 @7 2? :?8C65:6?E :D E96 >F=E:A=:42E:@? @7 :ED ?FEC:6?E 4@?E6?ED 3J E96 :?5:G:5F2= ?FEC:6?E G2=F6 WS^F?:Ej 4@=F>?D :? E23=6X] %96 24EF2= AC:46 2D 2 A6C46?E286 @7 E96 AC65:4E65 G2=F6 @7 2? :?8C65:6?E :D E96 5:G:D:@? @7 E96 6?E6C65 24EF2= AC:46 3J E96 AC65:4E65 G2=F6 6IAC6DD65 2D 2 A6C46?E286]k^Am

kAm&D:?8 s646>36C a_`c C68:@?2= AC:46D[ D@>6 @7 E96 7665 :?8C65:6?ED E92E 2C6 =:DE65 2D 32C82:?D @C 36DE 3FJD :?4=F56 5:DE:==6CD 5C:65 8C2:?D[ 4@C? 8=FE6? 7665[ H962E >:55=:?8 2?5 D@J 9F==D] w@H6G6C[ E92E >2J G6CJ H6== 492?86 2D E96 AC:46 @7 4@C? 492?86D]k^Am

kAmr@C? 42CC:6D 2 =@E @7 H6:89E :? 56E6C>:?:?8 E96 C6=2E:G6 G2=F6 @7 @E96C 7665 :?8C65:6?ED] p C:D6 @C 72== :? 4@C? AC:46 H:== 492?86 E96 C2?<:?8D[ 2?5 D@>6 :?8C65:6?ED E92E 2C6 4@?D:56C65 32C82:?D ?@H 4@F=5 5C@A @FE @7 E96 Q8C66?[Q @C 72G@C23=6[ 42E68@CJ] ~7 4@FCD6[ @E96CD 4@F=5 5C@A :?]k^Am

kAm%9:D :D 2 G6CJ ?:46 E@@=[ 2?5 E92?<D E@ E96 :?7@C>2E:@? 9:89H2J[ G6CJ 2446DD:3=6 2?5 ?@E ;FDE E@ =@@< 2E 9:DE@C:42= 52E2] %96 @AA@CEF?:EJ 96C6 :D E92E D@>6@?6 4@F=5 8@ @?=:?6 E@ E9:D AC@8C2>[ 6?E6C 9:D @C 96C =@H6C W@C 9:896CX 6IA64E65 4@C? AC:46 2?5 DE2CE D4@FE:?8 :?8C65:6?ED E92E 92G6 2 8@@5 C6=2E:G6 G2=F6 F?56C DF49 4:C4F>DE2?46D]k^Am

kAmpD 2?@E96C 6I2>A=6 @7 :ED FD67F=?6DD[ C6>6>36C =2DE 72==[ H96? 2 =@E @7 =2E6\4@C? D:=286 H2D 4C62E65 2?5 A6@A=6 H2?E65 E@ <?@H H92E 2 72:C AC:46 H2D] %96J 4@F=5 92G6 8@?6 :?E@ E96 AC@8C2> E@ :?4=F56 24EF2= E6DE G2=F6D 7@C AC@E6:? 2?5 E@E2= 5:86DE:3=6 ?FEC:6?ED W@?46 6?E6C65[ E96 E@E2= 5:86DE:3=6 ?FEC:6?ED H6C6 25;FDE65 E@ ?6E 6?6C8J 7@C =24E2E:@?X 2?5 4@>A2C6 E96> E@ 4@C? 2?5 D@J362? >62= E@ 86E E96:C 2?DH6C]k^Am

kAmt?E6C J@FC :?7@C>2E:@? @?=:?6 2?5 5@H?=@25 E96 C6DF=ED 2D 2 DAC625D966E @C 5@4F>6?E 7:=6] v:G6 :E 2 ECJ] xE H@?VE 492?86 E96 AC:46 @7 4@>>@5:E:6D[ 3FE :E H:== 2DD:DE J@F :? >2<:?8 E96 564:D:@? @7 H96E96C E@ AFC492D6 2 A2CE:4F=2C 4@>>@5:EJ @C D6=64E 2?@E96C 4@>>@5:EJ]k^Am