I-29 Moo University

The I-29 Moo University Dairy Webinar Series continues Monday, December 15 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. CST, focusing on Positioning 2025 feed for Success with Rock River Laboratory Animal Nutrition Technical Services Director Katie Raver.

Want to see how this year's crop stacked up? Join in for a discussion reviewing the 2025 central plains spring and fall forage crops. We know that many factors impact nutrient content and digestibility. This ultimately affects how this crop will feed and its milk production potential. Take a closer look at how this year compared to years previous and what to be on the lookout for as we begin to feed out the 2025 forage crops.

Growing up in rural Illinois, Katie Raver developed a passion for agriculture at a very young age. While attaining her undergraduate degree in animal science at University of Illinois she immersed herself in the dairy industry. After completing her undergraduate degree, she completed a summer internship at Rock River Laboratory and further developed her passion for forage and feed quality. Upon returning to the University of Illinois for her Masters degree in Ruminant Nutrition with Dr. Phil Cardoso, she was able to further explore these interests as her graduate work focused on forage quality and fungal disease. She then moved to Texas after finishing her degree. She has been at Rock River Laboratory for 5 years and in her current role as animal nutrition technical services director she oversees technical support and development. Her interests include forage quality assessment and understanding how environmental and management conditions impact forage quality. She also has a deep seeded interest in exploring ways to improve feed efficiency on farms and how data can be used to maximize the value of feeds on farms. 

Producers will learn about research and tips to successfully integrate heifers into robotic milking systems. We'll cover strategies for pre-training, including early exposure and positive reinforcement, as well as hands-on training techniques to ensure a smooth transition. Learn how to reduce stress, optimize performance, and set your next generation of cows up for success in your automated milking system.

There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, registration is required at least one hour prior to the webinar. Register online at:

https://go.iastate.edu/2025FEEDFORSUCCESS

The December 17 Beef on Dairy Dialogue webinar will feature Dr. Alfredo DiCostanzo, University of Nebraska- Lincoln discussing, “How much fiber do the rumens of BXD cattle need?” The webinar will be from 12-1 p.m. CT.

Ruminants evolved consuming mainly forage diets. Yet, the seasonal abundance of grains, tubers and high-sugar content forages likely exposes cattle to diets low in roughage, at least for some time. The incidence of liver abscesses in non-grain fed cull beef cows or in wild populations of cattle suggests that cattle may be over-consuming grazing or browsing highly fermentable feed sources.

On the other hand, feeding high-energy diets to cattle finishing in feedlots is a practice supported by biological and economic efficiency drivers. This practice extended to feeding dairy-system-derived steers long before beef crossbreeding in dairies began. In dairy- breed or beef x dairy crossbred feedlot cattle, this practice generally occurs from the moment calves arrive at the feedlot and is sustained until harvest date; a period of 300 to 400 days.

Thus, it is relevant to ask the question: How much fiber do the rumens of beef x dairy cattle need? Evidence from previous work in creating an acidotic challenge or in cattle fed 100% concentrate diets demonstrated that cattle are extremely resilient to no-roughage diets.

Intercepts of equations derived from meta-analysis where gain or intake were regressed on dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration (including forage-derived or effective) are greater than zero. This demonstrates that roughage is not essential for intake or gain in feedlot cattle.

However, consideration should be given to greater roughage inclusion as chronic roughage deficiency may challenge the immune system. So, the answer to this question should consider whether there is an optimized approach that leads to greater profitability and sustainability in beef x dairy feedlot cattle.

There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, registration is required at least one hour prior to the webinar. Register online at:

https://go.iastate.edu/DAIRYRATIONS