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Consistency Matters As Much As Production

Your milk statements from the plant carry more meaning than how big the check will be at the end of the month. You already know that fat and protein test averages tell volumes about effective fiber, ration digestibility, protein, and carbohydrate balance, as well as many other factors, such as fat levels in the diet.
 
The variability of these component values can be as telling, if not more so, than the monthly or weekly averages. Variations in milk fat, protein percentage, and milk urea nitrogen can also point out effects of crowding, heat stress, large meal sizes and slug feeding, and inconsistencies in feeding times or accuracy of total mixed ration formulation.
 
In the December 2015 Wisconsin Agriculturist article Consistency matters as much as production, UW-Extension Wood County Agriculture Agent Matt Lippert discusses how to use your own herd as a benchmark and to account for sources of  variability.
 

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Value of an Effective State & National Beef Checkoff Partnership

Video: Value of an Effective State & National Beef Checkoff Partnership

A strong future for the beef industry starts with teamwork, to ensure we’re all working together to move the industry forward. Valerie Bass, Executive Director of the Tennessee Beef Industry Council, explains the importance of the partnership between state and national cattle organizations and give insights on how Tennessee cattle producers promote beef on the state level.