February 17, 2005

 

 

Feed additives cost to be assessed before use in dairy cow diets

 

The cost-effectiveness of feed additives should be assessed by producers before including them or removing them from dairy cow diets.

 

"There are many dairy feed additives to choose from in today's market. The decision on whether to include them or remove them from the cow's diet has to be based on its cost-effectiveness," said South Dakota State University Extension dairy specialist Alvaro Garcia.

 

"Keep in mind that even if an additive does not result in increased production, it might still be cost-effective when we look at other performance parameters such as reproduction, feed efficiency or others," he added.

 

A good record keeping system to monitor the herd's performance is essential in order to evaluate the impact of feed additives. Records for feed intakes, milk production, reproduction, body condition score, somatic cell counts, as well as state of health, will help when making the decision on whether a feed additive is worth the cost.

 

Before making the decision, monitor cows for at least two weeks. This will provide baseline information as to how the cows are doing before the additive change.

Once producers add or remove the feed additive, do not make any simultaneous changes in feeds or any management changes.

 

Any changes in weather that might affect the animal's response must also be taken into account. Researchers from the University of Delaware have suggested using the "feed and stop-feed" method. All cows in the herd are fed the additive for a few weeks, and then it is removed from the diet.

 

"By using this approach, we are not only evaluating if there was a response to feeding the additive, but also if there was an effect with its withdrawal," Garcia said.

 

Before including a feed additive in the diet, producers should make sure that the ration is properly formulated and that the cows are eating what they are supposed to. Errors can negate the effects of an otherwise beneficial feed additive.

 

Management practices that may affect the response to the additive should also be evaluated.

 

Although feed additives may improve the efficiency of a dairy operation, before deciding to include them, make sure they are needed and why.

 

Determine if the response to the additive makes economic sense and ask for evidence of the manufacturer's claims, backed-up by independent research in peer-reviewed journals.