Feed Management

Calves lined up at fence line for feeding

Example of the effective use of feed management

"If a dairy cow is fed 0.04 percent above recommended levels of dietary phosphorus she will excrete an additional six pounds of phosphorus annually. For a herd of 500 cows, this is an additional 3,000 pounds of phosphorus per year. In a single cropping system, corn silage is about 0.2 percent phosphorus on a dry matter basis. For a field yielding 30 tons of silage per acre, at 30 percent dry matter, this is 36 pounds of phosphorus in the crop. If an additional 3,000 pounds of phosphorus are recovered in manure it takes considerably more land for application in manure is applied on a phosphorus basis."
Dr. Deanne Meyer, Livestock Waste Management Specialist, Cooperative Extension, University of California

Below are some helpful links to consider when developing a successful Feed Management program:

Fact Sheets

Phosphorus in Dairy Cattle Diets - Rhonda Miller PhD and Allen Young PhD, Utah State University, Jennifer Major, and Lydia Trinca
Description: Recommendations for Phosphorus in dairy cattle diets

Phosphorus Budgets for Your Dairy - Allen Young, Dairy Extension Specialist, Utah State University
Description: Information on improving whole-farm Phosphorus balance and feed Phosphorus utilization efficiency

Reduce Ration Phosphorus/Save $$$/Reduce Land Area for Applying Manure and Reduce Environmental Contamination - Dr. Ronald L. Boman, USU Extension Dairy Specialist
Description: Effects of reducing Phosphorus in farm use