Monday, April 20, 2026

Protein Now Drives the Milk Check Bus — Feeding and Forage Strategies for Spring

Mich Livestock Service, Inc — "For the Best in Bulls" and "High Energy Forages" 110 N Main St (PO Box 661) Ovid, MI 48866 📞 (989) 834-2661 | ✉️ greg@michiganlivestock.com | 🌐 www.michiganlivestock.com

Mark Curry (989) 984-7027 — Route Services and Sales Sue Palen (989) 277-0480 — Office Manager, Products Manager Greg Palen (989) 277-6031 — "aAa" Approved Analyzer, Certified Seed Specialist


Genetic selection for protein needs to catch up to butterfat.

This seems a better, more positive approach than to just say “we’re making too much butterfat” because, as we have seen before, Protein price goes up when butterfat price goes down.   Basic to all this is milk processing parameters, and the need for all the new expansion cheese plants to find milk with the ideal ratio between butterfat and protein (roughly 4 BF to 3 PR).

Protein is, like butterfat, 50% heritable.    How do you influence the other 50%?    You may wish to increase the effective (digestible) fiber in your rations.    Also limit the amount of high energy oilseeds (which above some level coat the rumen papilli and reduce rumen protein synthesis).   Feed your cows like ruminants and the ratio of butterfat to protein will readjust desirably.

If you need to reseed any forage fields this spring, consider the mix of Synergy X Alfalfa blends and inter-seed high digestibility energy dense grasses like those offered by Byron Seeds, in the
premium Kingfisher lines.    Add a couple pounds of premium red clover with your alfalfa, and your cows will love what results!    Lower feed costs, still produce milk in volume.


Mich Livestock Service, Inc — "For the Best in Bulls" and energy-dense forages for your cows 📞 (989) 834-2661 | 📠 (989) 834-2914 | ✉️ greg@michiganlivestock.com

No comments:

Post a Comment