Time flies when you’re having fun and time is sure flying in Indiana! I spent the past week assessing and working with fresh cows. I looked at their feed, environment, milking procedure on the 72 unit rotary parlour and overall management while in the fresh cow pen and of course asked lots of questions. Even after our intense 10 weeks of training I still believe there is a lot to learn and what better way to do it than to ask questions!

As well as assessing different protocols and areas of this large dairy, I also help to carry out daily tasks that need to be done such as scanning cows and feeding calves. This week while feeding calves the lights in the barn went out and I then realised that they are timed according to production. A long-day photoperiod (LDPP) is used in the lactating cow barn. This means that the cows are exposed to 16 hours of light followed by 8 hours of darkness. A short-day photoperiod (SDPP) is used in the dry cow barn. This means that these cows are exposed to only 8 hours of light followed by 16 hours of darkness. It has been proven that lactating cows exposed to LDPP show an increase in milk production and cows exposed to SDPP in the dry period can be more relaxed and produce more milk throughout their lactation. A simple yet effective way of managing a herd of cows that are indoors at all times.  

I have already learned a lot about the American dairy industry and how it differs to the Irish one. However, one of the most confusing things in this learning process is trying to adapt to the different measurements such as milk being priced per hundred weight and being measured in pounds instead of litres. It’s all part of adapting to a new culture and country I suppose.

Over the weekend I took a trip to South Dakota to visit Drumgoon Dairy where I worked last year. It was nice to see all the changes that have taken place on the dairy since I left and to see the brand new dairy which was under construction, now up and running successfully!  

I remember sitting in the library of UCD one winters day reading about the Alltech Dairy Career Development Programme, and what struck me first off was that, unlike a lot of graduate programmes, this one had structure. Each week was planned out, from what training we would receive, were we would work and what we would be doing etc. Then the plan was that on week 10 we would be on our farms, and do you know what, here I am, on farm.

I met with Siobhan in the crazy city of Bangkok and we flew down to Ho Chi Minh City to meet another Alltech employee, Yen. She was very kind and organised my visa and mobile phone. We then travelled to the farm in the Binh Dinh province of Vietnam. The first thing that hit me was the bio-security, it is very strict on this farm, and rightly so as Foot and Mouth is rampant in this country. With 878 milking cows on this plot there is no room for that kind of disease on the farm.

Together we carried out a complete farm audit, from the mixing centre to the cows BCS. I was happy to get it completed with Yen by my side as she speaks very good English. The only downside for me is that the farm workers don’t speak a word of English, so no communication goes on but I have to use my initiative and do work that I feel is beneficial to them. For example on Friday I was helping in the calf feeding process. This allowed me to gain a detailed insight into what really goes on from birth, to weaning and then all the way to 70 days of age. I can make my own suggestions in a report about where I feel changes can be made. There is lots of scope for change on this farm but as the saying goes, patience is a virtue, so I will take my time and not try to be a miracle worker.

On another note the food is a slight challenge but I am mastering the chop sticks like a pro. The weather is hot, 32 degrees, 80% humidity, it’s extremely hard on cows and calves, but this is one challenge that I know I can help with. I have a good Wi-Fi connection which is brilliant to keep in contact with home, so I am all settled in and the workers are now taking me to a local restaurant to eat god only knows what, so until next week it is goodbye from sunny and sticky Vietnam.

A wise man once said “Travel makes you wiser” and I couldn’t agree more. I spent this week working in Romania alongside Dr. Catalin Necula learning about how he implements the Alltech system on farm. Catalin took me to visit three of the farms he works with over three days. Catalin studied veterinary medicine in college but now enjoys working in the nutrition sector of the agricultural industry so as you can imagine, this was a great opportunity for me to spend some time with a very knowledgeable man.

The three farms we visited were all different in their own ways but all very impressive operations. I completed a farm audit, TMR evaluation and manure assessment on all farms as well as carrying out some urine pH and ketone tests. It was an intense week with plenty of travelling across Romania and long working days but it was all worth it. One of the farms that stood out to me most on my trip was a 300 cow herd consisting of pedigree Montbeliarde and Jersey cows. It was a well-run farm with very happy cows! After each farm visit Catalin would help me complete a farm report and optimise diets where necessary.    

What Size is the Average Dairy Herd in Romania?

As I visited large dairy farms (200 cows plus) I could not believe it when I heard that the average herd size in Romania was 3 cows. However, while travelling through some of the villages I then realised why. Lots of Romanian people own 1 and 2 cows and keep them at the side of their house where they are fed and milked. It was interesting to see different ways of dairy farming in different parts of the country. I had a busy but brilliant week of learning and practical experience with Catalin but for now it’s back to Ireland to spend next week on a dairy farm in County Cork!

Hello Folks,
My name is Niall Brennan. I have been recently selected onto the Alltech Dairy Career Development Programme. This is a stage in my life that has taken a lot of hard work and involved making some very serious decisions. Five years ago I made up my mind in the final year of secondary school that I wanted a career in the agriculture sector, having got the interest from the family dairy farm in county Louth. I completed Ag Science outside of school to ensure I would have the science subject I needed to get into my course, Dairy Business. I have to say I loved my time in Dublin; I met some great people and learned a massive amount. In 2012 I had the chance to travel to New Zealand where I worked with 550 and 800 cow herds.

Having talked to Alltech representatives at a career fair in UCD in February I was automatically drawn to the company. I was notified about the Dairy Programme and quickly saw this as a great opportunity for me to get involved in something that I had a genuine excitement for. Luckily I was accepted and began training on Monday the 15th of September.

This week I was introduced to the Alltech team in Dunboyne. I was immediately drawn to the level of professionalism of the company, be it the people or the culture within it. The company gives off a real message that if it’s worth doing it’s worth doing right. People in Alltech also come across as genuine and I feel I could approach anyone here.

So far I am delighted with the programme and the other three members, Joe, April and Han. I will continue to train until mid November when I will be deployed out to Turkey. I will be working as a dairy nutritionist on a farm there. I have heard only positive things about the farm from people who have visited it or knew about it. The farm is home to 14,000 cows with an emphasis on high intakes and utilisation. It is located 15 minutes away from Kusadasi, so I should be able to have some fun at the weekends. So there you have it, that’s my first blog.

Have a question or comment?

As a young man leaving the Irish education system my goal in life was not yet clear to me. Up to that point I had worked in the family business but I broke away from tradition to join an agricultural course in DKIT who had partnered with Ballyhaise Agricultural College. I soon fell in love with Agriculture and quickly set my goals with what I wanted to achieve during my time at college. Graduating from UCD was a very proud day for both myself and my family, it was sad saying goodbye to all the friends I had made but it was made easier knowing I was selected to join the Alltech family on the Dairy Career Development Programme.

I gathered on-farm skills from managing a 200 cow beef herd in the Loire valley in France and travelled to South Dakota in the summer of 2013 to broaden my knowledge of the dairy industry on a bigger scale. This experience was priceless and will stand to me for the challenges that lie ahead. From the moment I applied for the programme with Alltech I had no doubt what I wanted to do and as the saying goes, "what’s for you won’t pass you." Getting to join Alltech is a dream come true and I know for sure tough and busy times lie ahead.

My first week consisted of meeting all the Alltech family of workers in Dunboyne, the Irish headquarters. From the outset people were introducing themselves and everyone was extremely supportive. I know for sure that even if I’m in the countryside of Vietnam there will be someone with a listening ear just a phone call away. We had various different speakers in this week and I can see already that the level of training we are receiving is second to none.

There is a lot of information to take on board in a short space of time but nobody said the real world was going to be easy. I know with my fellow graduates, Niall, April and Han and all the Alltech team we will get through it together and I’m sure we will have a lot of fun along the way. So until next week it’s over and out from the Alltech DCDP crew.

Have a question or comment?

We are very excited to welcome the first ever members of our new Alltech Dairy Career Development Programme - Niall Brennan and Joseph Butler from Co. Louth, Ireland, April Higgins from Co. Mayo, Ireland and Han Longfei from Henan Province, China.

Each member will be based in Alltech European Headquarters, Dunboyne, Ireland for the next ten weeks before taking their on-farm positions in November as part of the 40 week programme. Members will be based on farms in Turkey, Vietnam, US and China.

Here is a brief bio on each of our new team members:

Niall Brennan is from county Louth, Ireland. His passion for the dairy industry came at a young age while growing up on the family farm. Brennan recently graduated from University College Dublin with an honours degree in Agricultural Science, where he specialized in Dairy Business. In 2012, Niall received a scholarship to travel to New Zealand where he spent six months working on a dairy farm in Canterbury. He will be working in Turkey.

Joseph Butler grew up in a small village in county Monaghan, Ireland. He attended Ballyhaise Agricultural College and University College Dublin where he earned an honours degree in Animal and Crop Production. Butler has a strong beef farming background, as he hails from a progressive suckler family farm. He has also previously managed a large beef farm in Loire valley, France and a large dairy farm in South Dakota, USA in 2013. Additionally he has worked with the local feed mill in Monaghan giving his additional expertise in the area of animal nutrition. He will be working in Vietnam.

April Higgins is from county Mayo, in the west of Ireland and has been very involved in the Irish agricultural industry from a young age through showing and breeding cattle. Higgins recently graduated from University College Dublin with an honours degree in Agricultural Science where she specialised in Animal Science. As part of her degree, Higgins completed a two month work experience on a large dairy farm in South Dakota, USA. She also spent four months reporting for Ireland’s leading agricultural publication, The Irish Farmer Journal. She will be working in the US.

Han Longfei grew up in Luoyang, Henan province, China. He was awarded a BSc in Animal Science and an MSc in Animal Genetics in Huazhong Agricultural University. Longfei spent the last two years of his MSc travelling around China visiting farms, talking to farmers, speaking with scientists and technicians in China and around the world. He will be working in China.

As the Arctic blast wreaks havoc across many parts of the United States, regions are seeing record low temperatures and record highs of weather-related stress on livestock. Plummeting winter temperatures are making many dairy operations reconsider their winter survival tactics and preparation for disease challenges that can come with the change of the seasons.

One challenge that can often show up in dairy herds during this time is winter dysentery. Occurring from early fall through late spring, winter dysentery is characterized by the sudden onset of diarrhea and can affect 15 percent or more of the herd.  Fresh blood in the feces may be present, as well as, dehydration, loss in body condition, respiratory issues like coughing and nasal discharge, and a varying decline in milk production of 10 percent or greater, are also noted.  Winter dysentery has a high rate of morbidity, but a low rate of mortality.  Twenty to 50 percent of animals in the herd will exhibit clinical symptoms within the first few days and the rest of the herd within a week to 10 days.

The causative agent in winter dysentery is still unclear.  However, Bovine coronavirus (BCV) has been cultured from the feces of affected animals, which is also a culprit in bouts of diarrhea and respiratory disease in young calves.  Additionally, elevated BCV titers have been measured in afflicted herds. Ingestion of contaminated feed or water is the most common route of infection.  Viral particles in the respiratory secretions of affected animals can also exacerbate transmission. 

Clinical symptoms of winter dysentery typically subside within two weeks of onset.  However, the time to recover the loss in body condition and milk production can take months.  Thus, financial ramifications of an outbreak of winter dysentery can be severe.  Recovered animals appear to be immune from the disease from one to five years, but carrier animals can be a source of repeated outbreaks.

The first step in managing the disease is to stop the cycle. It is also recommended to caution access to outside visitors during an outbreak of winter dysentery.  Controlling the movement patterns of cattle and people on the farm can be beneficial, as well as having farm employees working with cattle change out of soiled clothes and sanitize boots as often as necessary for their particular job. Eliminating manure contamination in water, feed, feed bunks, and feeding equipment is also critical in avoiding transmission of this virus.

Besides management practices, producers may also want to consider their nutritional programs in assisting the herd to get through an outbreak with less stress. Alternative non-antimicrobial products such as direct-fed microbials and/or mannan oligosaccharides (Bio-Mos®) have shown some benefits in improving the animal’s balance of intestinal bacteria (International Dairy Topics Vol. 4 No. 3, 2005).Direct-fed microbials and mannan oligosaccharides can help to maintain healthy immune systems in dairy and efficient nutrient transfer from cow to calf. Palatable feed and fresh water should be available at all times, and in severely affected cattle, fluid therapy should be administered.  Currently, there are no vaccines for BCV.

In most cases, affected cattle recover spontaneously. However, measures such as proper hygiene, constant awareness, quarantining of new animals, and certified testing remain important and should continue to be used on the farm to help in preventing and treating potential outbreaks.

Meet the cow’s amino acid requirements

In order to reach maximum milk production potential, cows need not only a sufficient amount of protein but a protein that provides the proper amino acid balance.  Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and the quality of a protein is determined by its balance in term of essential amino acids.  Not all protein sources are created equal. 

A cow’s protein and amino acid requirements can be met by a protein source with an amino acid composition that closely matches the composition of what the cow is producing, such as milk protein and muscle.  By focusing on the amino acid composition of the protein supply to the cow, we can efficiently meet the cow’s protein requirements without overfeeding protein while meeting the correct amino acid balance.

Feed the rumen

Ruminants derive protein from two sources: microbial protein synthesized in the rumen and escape protein provided in feedstuffs.  Microbial protein provides 50 - 60 percent of the protein supply to the typical dairy cow.  Bacteria and protozoa in the rumen ferment carbohydrates and protein supplied from the ration into more bacteria and protozoa that will provide protein to the cow.  Microbial protein is a very high quality protein in that the amino acid composition matches that of milk protein. 

Feed the cow

For high producing dairy cows, microbial protein alone will not provide a sufficient protein supply.  A feed source of protein is required to meet a high-producing cow’s protein requirements.  This protein must escape degradation in the rumen and will directly provide protein to the cow.  The amino acid profile of escape protein sources is critical to how well that protein can positively affect milk production and efficiency.

New technology to provide optimal amino acid supply    

A study conducted at South Dakota State University by Dr. Javier Sabbia et al. (2012)1 demonstrated the importance of proper protein nutrition as well as the application of a product designed to meet the cow’s requirements for amino acids.  DEMP (DEMP®, a yeast-derived microbial protein produced by Alltech, Inc.) is a source of high quality protein with an amino acid prodile that closely matches that of reference protein sources such as milk protein and microbial protein. The product is partially digested by the microbes in the rumen and supplies essential peptides (small proteins) and free amino acids that may maximize microbial protein synthesis.  In addition, the portion of DEMP that escapes the rumen supplies the cow with a high quality protein directly from feed.  Research showed that DEMP supports the protein supply to the cow by increasing microbial protein production and by supplying a feed source of high quality amino acids.

DEMP vs. soybean meal      

To examine the implications of a protein source on lactating dairy cows, Sabbia and colleagues replaced varying portions of soybean meal with DEMP.  Plant proteins such as soybean and canola meal and distillers grains comprise most of the protein fed to ruminants in the United States.  By replacing equal amounts of soybean meal with DEMP at 0, 300, 600, and 900 grams per cow per day, the researchers were able to compare how well DEMP versus soybean meal met the amino acid requirements for a lactating cow. 

The cows were fed a typical Midwestern lactating TMR primarily composed of corn silage, alfalfa hay, ground corn and soybean meal.  The researchers found that milk production increased by replacing a portion of soybean meal with DEMP at varying rates.  The rations containing 300 and 600 grams of DEMP resulted in the most milk, 92 pounds compared to 87 pounds for the control (standardized to 4 percent fat and 3.2 percent protein).  Milk fat content increased by 0.09 to 0.13 percent with the inclusion of DEMP. 

In addition to measuring performance parameters, the researchers at SDSU took measurements to determine the effect of treatment on rumen function, using both ruminally canulated cows as well as an in vitro procedure in the lab.  Rations including DEMP resulted in lower rumen ammonia and branched-chain VFA concentrations.  Both of these parameters indicate protein degradation in the rumen; lower values for the DEMP ration indicate degradation of feed protein was lower.

 Together these variables indicate that DEMP is less degradable in the rumen than soybean meal and will provide more high quality escape protein from feed to the cow.  Using an in vitro procedure developed to simulate rumen fermentation in the lab, researchers observed that true dry matter digestibility increased by 1.4 to 2.7 percentage units when DEMP replaced soybean meal.  This observation supports the second hypothesis on DEMP’s method of action: improving rumen efficiency thereby improving feed digestion and microbial protein flow. 

Feed a complete protein

Improving protein supply to the cow by increasing the flow of high quality microbial protein from the rumen and providing a feed source of high quality protein can allow for increased milk production, as observed in the high producing cows used in the South Dakota State study.  The benefits of replacing common sources of plant protein with a high quality protein include increased milk production, higher efficiency of protein utilization, and the potential to feed lower protein rations.

• Microbial protein and DEMP have similar amino acid profile
• Microbial protein and DEMP closely match the amino acid profile of milk protein
• Soybean meal and other plant proteins do not match the amino acid profile of milk protein as well, indicating that soybean meal does not meet the animal’s requirements for amino acids

The full article can be accessed at journalofdairyscience.org.

1Sabbia, J.A., K.F. Kalscheur, A.D. Garcia, A.M. Gehman, and J.M. Tricarico.  2012.  Soybean meal substitution with a yeast-derived microbial protein source in dairy cow diets.  J. Dairy Sci.  95:5888-5900.

Amanda Gehman1, Javier Sabbia2,3, Ken Kalscheur2, Alvaro Garcia2, and Juan Tricarico4
1Alltech, Inc., Nicholasville, KY
2South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
3Biotech Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay
4Innovaton Center for U.S. Dairy, Rosemont, IL

I want to learn more about nutrition for my dairy.

There is no substitute for face to face interaction. Some of the best interaction at Global 500 takes place on our farm tours, which are scheduled before and after the sessions. Dairy and beef farmers from all over the world had the chance Monday and Tuesday to visit some of Ireland’s most progressive farms. Tours are also scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Over the next several weeks we will be posting interviews from the Irish host farmers and farmers from all over the world who went on the tours.

In the meantime we have some great photos from the tours on our Dairy Heroes Facebook page and we will be adding more photos over the next couple of days.

Here are highlights from some of the farms that we visited. Thanks to Farm Tours Ireland for coordinating them for us.

Dairy Farms

Pat Callan, Philipstown, Co. Louth
This farm milks 160 Montbeliarde cows and the annual herd average is 8,000 litres. The herd is split, calving between autumn and spring. A large emphasis is placed on detailed grazing management and all forage is produced on the farm in the form of grass and maize silages.

Michael McDonnell, Termonfeckin, Co. Louth
The herd produces an average of 10,000 litres annually and is split between autumn and spring calving. High quality grass silage and maize silage are an essential part of the farm strategy to achieve high performance.

Bingham Farm, Co. Antrim
The Binghams milk 500 high-yielding Holstein cows. They produce quality grass silage as the main forage source and achieve excellent yields from their forage inputs. Recent investment in housing and milking facilities has resulted in production benefits.

Beef Farms

Tara Farms Ltd., Dunboyne, Co. Meath
Tara Farms is a large-scale feedlot finishing approximately 1,500 animals annually. There is a mixture of bulls and heifers, all produced for the Italian market, a premium market for Irish beef producers. Excellent weight gains and high levels of efficiency are achieved on this farm.

Moyvalley Meat Farm, Co. Meath
Moyvalley Meat Farm is integrated with Moyvalley Meats and finishes approximately 2,000 steers and heifers throughout the winter period. Quality grass silage is produced on the farm.

Brian McCabe, Co. Louth
This farm is a small feedlot, finishing 600-700 animals annually, which are mainly heifers for the Italian market. Mr. McCabe produces grass and maize silage and feeds them together with large volumes of homegrown wheat and barley. The unit achieves impressive weight gains and high quality carcasses.

Joseph O’Reilly, Co. Louth
This farm has 110 crossbred cows which are split between calving in autumn and spring. All animals are finished on farm. Mr. O’Reilly has a preference for using Limousin as the terminal sire. All forages produced on the farm are of the highest quality.