Nutrition

General

Methods for Determining Dry Matter of Forages and Grains
Feedstuff Comparison Tool (compare prices on value of energy or protein) xls

Corn

Guidelines on Buying High Moisture Shelled Corn - Cash crop farms will be looking to those farms in need of corn as a way to market some of their crop. The question then becomes how to set a fair price for high moisture shelled corn (HMSC).
Feeding Corn Screenings to Cattle - The late maturing corn crop coupled with a wet Fall has led to challenging harvest conditions. It is likely corn will contain higher moisture levels at harvest than normal. This will require more expense to dry the crop and create more corn screenings (grain dust). The corn screenings can be fed to livestock if the mycotoxin levels are not too high.
Guidelines for Pricing Corn Silage and Earlage from Immature Corn - The weather challenges leading to late planting season last spring (2011) have raised a concern about corn reaching maturity in some locations in Michigan this fall. It may not be practical to harvest the late maturing corn as grain corn. Alternatives may exist including harvesting as silage or earlage.

Distillers Grains

Incorporating Distiller’s Grain in Beef Cattle Diets - The late maturing corn crop coupled with a wet Fall has led to challenging harvest conditions. It is likely corn will contain higher moisture levels at harvest than normal. This will require more expense to dry the crop and create more corn screenings (grain dust). The corn screenings can be fed to livestock if the mycotoxin levels are not too high.
Effects of a Direct-fed Microbial to Steers Fed High Moisture Corn and Wet Distillers Grains - The purpose of this study was to determine whether this direct-fed combination of bacteria would improve feed conversion efficiency when wet distillers’ grains with solubles were added to the diet.
The Changing Landscape of Co-Products From the Bio-Fuels Industry
Use of Distillers Grains in Growing-Finishing Cattle Rations - Rapid expansion of ethanol production in the U.S. is raising an array of issues and concerns. A primary concern centers on the impact of higher corn prices on livestock production. Feed costs are known to be a significant production factor for all livestock producers.
Feed Cost Savings of Distillers Grains in Feedlot Rations - Expansion of ethanol production is occurring rapidly generating considerable discussion regarding the ability of numerous affected parties to respond and adjust to changes in associated markets.
Distillers Grains as Feedstuff for Beef Cattle
Will My NMP Limit How Much DGS I Can Feed?
Break-Even DGS Price Calculator instructions Downloadable Price Calculator xls

Other Resources

USDA Daily Ethanol Report
Distillers Grains By-products in Livestock and Poultry Feed [Univ. of Minnesota]
A guide to distiller’s drived grains with solubles (DDGS) - The U.S. ethanol industry includes several different plant designs and production technologies, and uses several different grains as feedstocks for ethanol production – including a wide diversity of corn varieties and sources. With the evolving technology for corn fractionation and for oil extraction, the industry produces many different products as DDGS.
By-product feeds [Univ. of Nebraska]
MSU Extension Hay Listing Network

Other Co-Products

Corn Stover Harvest Considerations [pre-recorded webinar]
Corn Stover Harvest Considerations II [pre-recorded webinar]
Feeding Apples or Apple Pomace in Cattle Diets - Apples and apple pomace can be fed to beef cattle. Apples have an energy value similar to corn silage, but with less crude protein.
Feeding Carrots or Sugar Beets to Cattle - Root crops such as carrots and sugar beets can be fed to beef cattle.
Utilizing Soybean Residue - Soybean residue can be used in a short term situation as an alternative feed for dry and moderate conditioned beef cattle. It is important to note that separating dry cows by age or body condition will enhance your ability to manage this resource properly.
Corn Stover Harvesting - Corn grain accounts for about 45 percent of the total dry matter yield of a corn field. Corn stover amounts would range from 3 to 4.5 dry tons per acre in fields ranging from 100 to 150 bushels of grain per acre.

Corn Silage

Pricing and Use of Immature Corn as Silage for Beef Cattle - Immature corn is defined as corn that fails to reach adequate maturity and can not be sold at normal, prevailing market values without steep price discounts. Corn that is drought-stressed,heat unit deficient, water logged, or frosted meets our definition.
Harvesting Drought-Stressed Corn Silage - Corn should be harvested for silage when the whole plant dry matter is between 30 and 40 percent. The recommended harvest moisture ranges are the same for drought-stressed corn as for corn grown under ideal soil moisture conditions
Nitrate Accumulation in Drought-Stressed Corn & Forages: Sampling & Testing - In some years, farmers may face salvaging drought-stressed corn and forage crops by chopping it for silage or cutting it for hay.When that occurs be aware that feeding of drought-stressed corn silage, green-chopped forage or hay to cattle carries the concern of nitrate poisoning.
Controlling Silage Leachate: Environmental Stewardship - Silage leachate—seepage from silage piles, bags, bunkers or silos—often occurs on beef and dairy farms and is one of the farm outputs requiring proper management.
Guidelines for Pricing Corn Silage and Earlage from Immature Corn - The weather challenges leading to late planting season last spring (2011) have raised a concern about corn reaching maturity in some locations in Michigan this fall. It may not be practical to harvest the late maturing corn as grain corn. Alternatives may exist including harvesting as silage or earlage.

Cow Wintering

Reduce Hay Feeding by 2/3 or More! -Corn stover is corn residue that remains after grain harvest and includes dropped grain, husk, leaf, stalk, and cob. Corn stover is one of the least expensive feeds available, it can be grazed or harvested, it meets gestating beef cow requirements for energy, and currently there is little competition for other uses.
Stretching Feed Resources Through Strategic Culling - Could you make it through the winter on the feed you have with fewer mouths to feed? Downsizing the herd could, at least, lighten the financial load of buying hay and supplement.
Best Management Practices of Hay Feeding [Video]

Mineral/Vitamin

Stillborn Calves in Michigan Linked to Iodine Deficiency - Stillborn calves were being reported in Michigan beef cow-calf herds where a large proportion of the diet consisted of sugar beet pulp. The losses were attributed to iodine deficiency, even though these herds were supplementing cows with a trace mineral mix that included iodine.
Does Vitamin A Impact Quality Grade?
Upper Midwest Beef Cow Mineral Vitamin Nutrition - Adequate mineral-vitamin nutrition is vital in optimizing animal growth, lactation, reproductive function and immune response.