I like to tell people that cows eat a more balanced diet than most people, because it’s true. We make a special mix of feed for our cows that contains four basic ingredients: haylage, corn silage, a special mix of vitamins and minerals, and corn gluten feed. This last ingredient is pretty neat, because it is a byproduct of milling corn and extracting the starch from it. The cows love it, it’s nutritious, and it eliminates waste and gets the most out of the corn we grow.
High quality milk begins with high quality feed for our cows.
Mixing the feed is a big job, since a cow eats an average of 100 pounds of feed every day. We use a feed mixer truck that has an electronic scale, so we can get our mixture just right every time. We incorporate the proper percentages of each ingredient, mix it right there in the truck, and voila – it’s mealtime.
The feed mixer truck being loaded with ingredients
Our dairy nutritionist helps us determine the right mixture for our cows that balances protein, fiber and energy. A dairy nutritionist does for animals what a dietitian does for people – helps them eat right and balance their diet for optimal health. But while humans crave variety in their diets, animals like consistency. The fewer changes, the better. And since their diet is perfectly balanced to meet their needs, it works out.
At the end of the day, our job is to keep our animals healthy, comfortable and productive. We humans could learn a lot from a cow’s balanced diet!
