(ter Farming, Saturday, January 29, 2000
AfrLmcast
dhia
Question: We track MUN
on a monthly basis and have
been very successful at main
taining a 12-13 mg/dl aver
age. Suddenly our September
MUN test dropped to less
than nine. What factors
could contribute to this?
Fall feeding and new crops
make this a common scenario.
Most producers who test
monthly for MUN see the cor
relation between constant
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Hoober, Inc. D & E Equipment
Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse, PA 17534 307 Ed 9 ar PA17815
717-768-8231 717-784-5217
800-732-0017
Hines Equipment
Rt. 28 West, Cresson, PA 16630
814-886-4183
and Rt. 220, Belwood, PA
814-742-8171
MUN values and their success
in maintaining a constant diet
fed to their cows.
There arc numerous things
that can happen within the
cow’s diet that spoil the plan.
One is so simple that we often
overlook it. Moisture changes
within the forage part of the di
et can change more than the
dry matter intake. Make sure
diets are adjusted for this
change but also consider this
thought: typical Pennsylvania
forage is sort of hay crop
silage. There arc tremendous
variations in moisture levels as
the hay crop is ensiled in
trenches, tower silos, bags, and
wraps. Typically protein tests
can be similar regardless of
moisture level but often the
soluble or degradable portion
of that protein changes with
moisture content. Moisture
levels lower than 50 percent
and those higher than 60 per
cent, even though crude protein
remains the same, can be quite
different depending on what
rumen bugs are available. As a
rule of thumb, when moisture
levels decrease the soluble or
degradable portions also de
crease. Wet forages also show
higher soluble or degradable
portions.
This farm was advised to
look at changes concerning this
part of the diet and indeed hay
lage has dropped from 65 per
cent to 50 percent moisture as
feed from their bunk. Soluble
protein levels of the wetter feed
were 64 percent and on the dry
er feed, 56 percent. This
change resulted in less avail
able protein for use by rumen
bugs, less milk produced, and
drastically reduced MUN
values.
Sometimes changes occur in
our cows and we can only react
to them. This dietary change
was not planned but neverthe
less had a large impact on the
cows. We can use this situation
to build a plan for the future
that allows us to anticipate per
formance changes triggered by
feed changes. Simply put, if I
had haylage that remains top
quality but changes occur in
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Carlisle Farm Service
260 York Road, Carlisle, PA 17013
800-447-6829
Chambersburg Farm Service
975 South Main Street, Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-264-3533
the protein fractions and mois
ture content, I would do what is
necessary to head off perform
ance changes in the cows.
MUN, in this instance, not
only gave us a diagnostic tool
for today’s production but we
have found that by knowing
what drives MUN in the diet
can help us ward off potential
negative trends in production.
Do not be satisfied with accept
able MUN values but instead
use constant testing and relate
MUN with diet changes. By
doing so, I believe the four
pound loss on 260 cows for an
undetermined length of time
could be avoided. Isn’t the risk
of losing $l5O daily worth test
ing for and learning how to use
MUN? I think it is. Use the
tools available along with your
farm advisors to help avoid a
potential loss. Better yet, de
Lehigh Ag Equipment, Inc.
6670 Ruppsville Road, Allentown, PA 18106
610-398-2553
800-779-3616
velop an aggressive attitude to
ward DHIA records and force
yourself to act, not just react.
Average Farm Feed
Costs for Handy
Reference
To help farmers across the state to
have handy reference of commodity
input costs in their feeding operations
for DHIA record sheets or to develop
livestock feed cost data, here’s last
week’s average costs of various ingred
ients as compiled from regional reports
across the state of Pennsylvania.
Remember, these are averages, so you
will need to adjust your figures up or
down according to your location and the
quality of your crop.
Corn, No.2y 2.37 bu., 4.23 cwt.
Wheat, N 0.2 2.38 bu., 3.97 cwt.
Barley, N 0.3 —1.62 bu., 3.46 cwt.
Oats, N 0.2 —1.51 bu., 4.71 cwt.
Soybeans, No.l —4.41 bu., 7.36 cwt.
Ear Corn 75.55 ton, 3.78 cwt.
Alfalfa Hay —134.25 ton, 6.71 cwt.
Mixed Hay —138.75 ton, 6.94 cwt.
Timothy Hay —141.25 ton, 7.06 cwt.
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gearbox provide accuracy in
varying rates and seed sizes.
4. * v
Grejppalns
We lead because we listen.
Hoober, Inc.
McAlisterville, PA 17049
717-463-2191
800-433-6679