Soy brings value to dairy production chain

By Matt Reese

Livestock farmers in Ohio obviously want their animals to have the best quality diets, because good quality diets bring value to the entire production chain. This may be especially important in dairy production where the details of quality, economics and consistency all matter.

“When you provide the right sort of balance of protein sources that provide the rumen with what it needs and then help to allow amino acids to bypass the rumen, you get higher milk production and you can push the cows with high potential to make milk. Usually that is going to be better economically because you’re really stimulating the cows,” said Jeff Firkins, a professor at Ohio State University specializing in dairy nutrition and microbiology. “And in today’s environment where there’s some pressure to try to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen in the environment, by having a more consistent feed product we can have a little bit lower protein diet and still provide the cow with what she needs.… Continue reading