Feed and Nutrition

UW-Madison Extension specialists explain how diet, protein balance, and herd management optimize dairy cow milk protein yield.

Optimizing dairy cow nutrition—focusing on fiber, protein, and fat—helps producers improve herd health, milk output, and farm profitability.

Explore how roasted high oleic soybeans can be used in Wisconsin dairy rations with Katelyn Goldsmith, UW–Madison Extension dairy outreach specialist.

Explore strategies to reduce methane from anaerobic manure storage—digestion, solids separation, acidification, and frequent emptying—with costs and tradeoffs.

Supplemental fats boost energy, milk yield, and reproduction in dairy cattle. Keep total fat below 7% of dry matter to ensure optimal performance.

High-oleic soybeans offer dairy farmers a lower milk-fat-depression risk than conventional soybeans, with research showing increased milk fat and similar yields.

Well‑managed pastures can deliver highly digestible, protein‑rich forage. Pasture alone rarely provides a perfectly balanced diet, especially for high‑producing dairy cows. Join us to hear from a dairy farmer using virtual fencing on his dairy heifers, research done on performance of heifers raised on pasture and in confinement operations, and how to get the most out of pastures to raise our dairy animals.

Fat is a common, energy-dense nutrient for dairy cattle.  While many ration ingredients contribute to the fat content of the diet, feeding supplemental sources of fatty acids can positively influence milk yield, milk composition, and reproductive performance of dairy cattle.  As a result, supplemental fat feeding is a common strategy used by dairy farmers and their nutritionists.