April 10, 2008

Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference is April 22 - 23

"The objectives of the conference are to relay current information on the feeding of dairy cattle to individuals who provide nutritional advice to dairy framers and to provide an opportunity for networking within the feed industry," said Maurice Eastridge, Ohio State University professor of animal sciences and coordinator of the conference.

The conference will benefit feed industry personnel, nutrition consultants, Extension personnel, dairy farmers and veterinarians, Eastridge said.

One of the sessions, presented by Sawn Donkin, Purdue University professor of animal sciences, will cover feeding to minimize nutrient requirements for maintenance and increased milk yield.

"Because feed costs represent a large portion of the costs of producing milk, factors that impact the efficiency of conversion of feed to milk are of considerable importance," said Donkin.

Maintenance energy needs are a priority in the animal, Donkin said. Increased maintenance costs have a direct impact on the efficiency of conversion of feed to milk or tissue content.

"Conversely, a decrease in maintenance requirements or a dilution of maintenance in cows that are capable of producing greater amounts of milk is a management and selection goal in the dairy industry," said Donkin.

Current management strategies include cow cooling, reducing disease challenges and eliminating stressors that might lead to increased non-exercise activity, Donkin said. All of these factors affect cow maintenance and ultimately result in more nutrients to milk production.

Other topics that will be discussed include nutrition and reproduction, optimizing transition cow diets, managing measures of feed costs and factors affecting feeding of dairy cows.

For more information or to register for the conference visit https://tristatedairy.osu.edu/index.htm. The registration fee is $180 per person.

Writer: Elizabeth Fritz, (765) 494-8402, elfritz@purdue.edu

Sources: Maurice Eastridge, (614) 688-3059, eastridge.1@osu.edu

Shawn Donkin, (765) 494-4847, sdonkin@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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