Livestock
2015 Archive
Fields of Green
Researchers from across the Noble Research Institute join forces through the Forage 365 initiative with the goal of providing year-round livestock grazing and reducing ranchers' dependence on buying hay.
The Hay Factor
Forage365 brings to bear all of the Noble Research Institute's expertise in genetic research, plant breeding, economics and agriculture with the express purpose of doing what is considered improbable reducing the need to feed hay.
Cold increases nutrient requirements
We have a tendency to balance winter rations for cows in two phases: non-lactating, in the middle third of pregnancy (dry); and then post-calving, in peak lactation (wet). Using nutritional requirements for the average weight of the cow herd, it's simple to come up with two feeding regimes; one for before calving and one for after calving.
Artificial insemination increases profits
Estrus synchronization and timed artificial insemination are an economically viable alternative to owning a bull if the producer has multiple bulls.