Consistency pays
When thinking about feeds, it is important to plan what variables are tracked over time and to make sure the samples are labeled consistently over time. If you’d like to track how corn silage changes each year, labeling samples with the year is a critical step in sample submission. Going back and cleaning data after the fact can be a tedious task, so proper planning will increase the ease at which data can be tracked.
Table 1 and Figures 1 through 3 showcases how three different datasets varying in data quality can produce much different results when trying to track information.
With so many plans and moving parts on an operation, it can be easy to delay adding another task to the list. However, investing a little time up-front in creating a plan to ensure clean data can return dividends. You would likely not trust an online translator to interpret an important email, just like you shouldn’t leave your feed tracking up to chance. Having a clear understanding of the feed program goals can make tracking forages and commodities a simple task.
