Ultimately, return on investment determines the value of any probiotic during a particular segment of an animal’s life or through life cycle feeding. What did we gain by spending the money to feed the effective probiotic or what did we "not lose" by feeding it?

The use of feed additives in livestock diets is part of many nutritional strategies to help optimize performance, health and the well-being of animals.

A close examination of the feed ration reveals that the garden salad-looking bovine meal may contain corn silage, hay and flaked corn.

Even when a farm does everything right prior to feedout, silage piles that are subjected to less-than-ideal face management have the potential for massive spoilage.

Close monitoring of dietary protein, shade, cooling systems and ventilation will all keep cows cooler during the heat of summer.

Successful dairies achieve consistent performance by implementing protocols that reduce variation within their operation. They do everything they can to limit the internal and external pressures cows face, while creating resilient animals that can withstand the pressures beyond their control.

One area that may not always be linked as directly as it should be to nutrition is animal health. In many cases, we tend to compartmentalize health and nutrition to a degree, handing the health program to the veterinarian and the nutrition program to the nutritionist.

Strategically grouping cows on the farm can result in efficiencies and benefits. For instance, it can lead to improved cow health, increased production, reduced incidences of metabolic disorders and increased income over feed costs while also offering more efficient nutrient utilization across cow groups, thanks to the implementation of separate rations.