Feed testing is probably one of the more important things you can do for your cows

Dec 21, 2022

Producers taking part in the Foraging into the Future Conference were reminded about the importance of feed testing.

The nutrient content of feed will vary from year to year, field to field, species, climate conditions, fertilization, stage of maturity
when it was cut and processed, as well as storage management.

In order to balance rations for livestock it's key to know exactly what you're working with.

Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist Adriane Good says this is where a feed test can help.

"When we look at feed tests the things you're going to look for are crude protein and energy. There's a lot of different ways energy is measured, probably the easiest one for the average producer is total digestible nutrients (TDN). Then you're going to take a look at vitamins and minerals. Vitamins aren't going to be present on a feed test, but a lot of the minerals are. We just want to make sure we've got enough minerals, but also not too much of some."

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Video: 2026 T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science - Dan Weary

T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science: "Using science to assess and improve the welfare of dairy cattle"

Dan Weary is a Professor at the University of British Columbia. Dan did his BSc and MSc at McGill and Doctorate at Oxford before co-founding UBC’s Animal Welfare Program where he now co-directs this active research group. His research focuses on understanding the perspectives of animals and applying these insights to develop methods of assessing animal welfare and improving the lives of animals. His work has helped drive changes in practices (including the adoption of higher milk rations for calves and pain management for disbudding) and housing methods (including the adoption of social housing for pre-weaned calves). He also studies cow comfort and lameness, social interactions among cows, and interactions between cows, human handlers and technologies like automated millking systems that are increasingly used on farms. His presentation will outline key questions in cattle welfare, highlight recent UBC research addressing them, and showcase innovative methods for improving the lives of cattle and their caretakers.