The drought we have seen over the past couple of years has been a challenge for producers that depend on forage to feed their livestock. This is especially important in the dairy industry. So much of the production quality depends on the quality of the food that is being fed. With the cost of hay and silage going higher as demand is increasing, one dairy nutritionist is urging producers to look at other options.
Drew Johnson is an Independent Dairy Nutritionist for K&S Dairy Consulting. He is working with producers to think outside the box about how they meet their herd?s nutritional needs. One of the options he is steering producers to is bringing cotton seed back into rations.
Some producers are also having to make that hard decision to thin their herds to stretch the forage they have available. Johnson says that with cattle prices being high, it makes this option a little easier to deal with economically.
Difficult decisions are being made, but they don?t have to spell disaster under these unique circumstances.
