OCR Text |
Show I ' k I i . v'iff (, ilfa is the most important cash crop grown in , Country. Markets are as diverse and profitable as Japan and California. Total farm income has increased due to inflation and increased efficiency. omputerized diet program uts costs, helps cattle B y CLEON M. HOTTER Much progress has been made in the scientific way of feeding dairy cows. Charles H. Mickelsen, extension dairy specialist, Utah State University, said, "We now ca n feed into the computer the nutrient content and price information in-formation about each available feed ingredient. And then the computer will calculate and give a balanced diet at a cost for maximum income over feed and do it at the dairy farm. The computer program at Utah State University designed to do this is called "Maximum Income In-come Over Feed Cost." The computer goes through all the feeds available to the dairyman . and finds the ones that will balance the ration at the least cost to produce the maximum amount of milk and maximum income. in-come. The dairyman himself, or specialist helping him, enters the feed and cost data available to him. Mickelsen pointed out that as prices and availability vary in different localities, so will the calculated diet vary. He explained that alfalfa and barley are used extensively in dairy diets because those two feeds are grown most everywhere in the state. Alfalfa hay supplies protein and fiber. Barley or grain corn are used in the ration primarily to supply total digestible nutrients or energy. Corn silage, mainly a fiber and succulent type feed, is very palatable and mixes well with other feeds. Usually, it is pulled into the diet in areas where corn grows well. However, it can't be transported distances economically because of the high moisture content. con-tent. In some places beet pulp is fed as dried pellets. It is a fibrous feed, also used for energy. Whole cottonseed is not produced in Utah. It does have to be imported. Formerly it was burned as a waste product. In recent years it has turned out to be one of the best feeds for dairy cattle. It is about 23 percent protein, 17 percent fiber and 92 percent total digestible. Mickelsen said, "Cottonseed probably is one of the best buys that we can have in the market today." To supply enough protein in a high producing cow's diet, the computer usually will add a protein supplement to the ration in addition to the alfalfa. About one pound of protein is required in the cow's diet for every ten pounds of milk she produces. The cow also needs minerals. Those minerals that are deficient are primarily phosphorus, iodine and sodium. Salt and dicalcium phosphate generally are supplied to the diet to meet those needs. As an example, Mickelsen recently illustrated on dairy day the computer calculated diet used for the high producing cows (80 lbs. a day) at the Richfield Bi-Stake Bi-Stake Dairy. The diet included 25 lbs. alfalfa hay, 12 lbs. corn silage, 7 lbs. cottonseed, 18 lbs. barley and corn combination, com-bination, 2V2 lbs. of 44 percent protein concentrate, con-centrate, 2Vi lbs. beet pulp pellets and some minerals. For production at this level, Mickelsen explained that the computer calls for a diet with 16 percent crude protein level, 17 percent fiber and 72 percent total digestible nutrients. The dairy specialists hasten to add that no one diet is best for every dairy. Diets must fit local situations. For more information on computer calculation of diets, contact the Iron county extension office |