News + Insights
2019 Forage may need shorter particle length to maximize production
KEY TAKEAWAYS IN THIS ISSUE OF TECHNICAL TOPICS:
- Poor planting and harvesting conditions, combined with alfalfa winter kill, means more high NDF and low energy forages used for feed over the next year.
- High fiber forages can lower dry matter intake (DMI) in dairy cows. Adjusting particle length of such forages shorter can increase DMI.
- Milk fat production is more closely correlated to the fiber level in a forage than the particle length of the forage.
- Adjustments to particle length can be made at harvest as well as feed out.
