Feed costs account for more than 45% of production costs and approach nearly 60% with high feed costs. Obviously, dairy income is directly proportional to milk volume, composition and quality produced on the farm.

All we have to do is balance the ration to maximize fat, right? Regarding the number of variables involved in ration formulation, few diets are ever truly balanced. Consider the word “optimized” instead. Let’s look at several key nutrients that must be optimized for maximum butterfat production.

There are three areas where consistency is necessary to optimize feed management: inventory, mixing of the total mixed ration (TMR) and the feedbunk.

Most dairy farms feed carefully balanced diets that are formulated to meet the dietary needs of their cows, depending on their age and stage of lactation.

In today’s economic environment of high commodity prices and extreme input costs, producers must look for ways to get the most from their herd. Feeding a balanced ration during peak lactation can maximize milk production and your ROI.