News List | hemandecofarm

Home Page Blog List

Common Concerns with Alfalfa

Some horse owners express concerns about feeding alfalfa to their horses because they worry about contributing to hot behavior, effects on the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of the diet, and whether alfalfa causes enterolith formation

Considerations for spray application

Most dairies soak cows with potable water, and the amount used varies widely among farms (eg, 4.5-25.7 L/h per cow). In the coming decades, water is predicted to become increasingly limited. Therefore, in addition to mitigating heat stress, reducing water footprint is a major sustainability concern for the US dairy industry.

What is insect chitin and what is its use?

Insects need to replace the old cuticle with a new cuticle to metamorphose and mature. The cuticle is the outermost component of insects that covers all the external parts of the body of invertebrates. It is also present in small amounts in some internal parts of the body of insects.

Natural Ventilation

Natural ventilation has obvious advantages in that natural forces are used to ventilate buildings, reducing costs for both fans and electrical power. Natural forces include wind moving through, against, and over buildings, as well as thermal buoyancy of warmed air rising inside of the building.

The Future of Sustainable Cattle Feed: Mealworm and Black Soldier Fly Larvae as Novel Protein Sources

As the global population grows, so does the demand for animal protein, placing increasing pressure on livestock systems to produce more with fewer natural resources. This challenge has led researchers and agricultural scientists to seek alternative, more sustainable protein sources

Nutritional Strategies to Reduce the Negative Effects of Heat Stress in Fattening Livestock

As global temperatures rise and heatwaves become more frequent, fattening livestock are increasingly exposed to heat stress. This condition can lead to reduced feed intake, poor weight gain, suppressed immune function, and even mortality. In such conditions, targeted nutritional strategies can play a key role in minimizing the harmful effects of heat and maintaining animal health and productivity

The Effect of Heat Stress on Rumen and Digestive Health in Dairy Cows

Heat stress is one of the biggest challenges for dairy cow health and productivity, especially during hot and humid seasons. When environmental temperature and humidity exceed the animal’s capacity to dissipate heat, the cow experiences physiological stress. This leads to increased respiration rate, heart rate, and hormonal changes, ultimately reducing feed intake and digestive efficiency

Effect of Live Yeast on Milk Production and Rumen Health in Dairy Cows

Live yeast, usually a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a type of feed additive that is commonly added to dairy cow diets to improve digestive performance, particularly in the rumen. These yeasts help enhance the environment in the rumen by removing oxygen, which in turn promotes the growth of beneficial anaerobic bacteria. As a result, cows are able to digest their feed more efficiently, especially fibrous components, leading to better nutrient absorption and energy availability

Rumen-Protected Methionine: The Key to Smart Growth in Young Calves

Methionine is one of the essential amino acids — meaning the calf’s body cannot produce it and it must be supplied through feed. This vital compound plays a key role in muscle growth, protein synthesis, immune system support, and liver function

The Importance of Rumen-Protected Methionine in Dairy Cow Nutrition

Methionine is one of the essential amino acids that cows cannot synthesize and must obtain through feed [Patton, 2010]. It plays a key role in protein synthesis, especially milk protein, and is often one of the first limiting amino acids in dairy cow diets, along with lysine [Schwab et al., 2003]. If methionine is lacking, even with sufficient energy and other nutrients, milk protein production decreases

Managing your horse’s water intake

Average Requirement: A 1,000-pound horse generally drinks 6-12 gallons (27-54 L) of water daily. Horses may need extra encouragement to drink, especially in colder months.

Feeding Management (push-up)

Cows are inherently competitive and aggressive eaters, which makes effective management of their physical environment essential. Properly designed and managed feeding conditions can help mitigate competitive behaviors, promoting higher dry matter intake (DMI). As a rule of thumb, each additional 0.45 kg (1 lb) of DMI translates into 0.91 kg (2 lb) of milk production in Holstein cows (Grant, 2015).

Obesity in Horses: A Growing Health Concern

Obesity is becoming a significant health issue for horses around the world, with estimates suggesting that between 31% to 45% of certain equine populations are classified as obese. A horse is generally considered obese when it has a body condition score (BCS) greater than 7 on the Henneke 9-point scoring system

Is your horse fit?

Body condition scoring (BCS), also known as fat scoring, is an objective method to assess your horse's weight and overall health. This system evaluates fat covering in three key areas: the neck, the middle, and the hindquarters. Horses are assigned a score from 1 (emaciated) to 9 (obese). The best way of taking a good care of your horse is to keep record of the BCS of your horse an prevent very serious health conditions like laminitis.

Optimizing Dairy Cow Comfort: Key Considerations for Housing

Effective housing is critical for ensuring the comfort, health, and productivity of dairy cows. Whether you're planning to build a new facility or improve an existing one, focusing on key factors can enhance both animal welfare and farm efficiency

The Future of Sustainable Cattle Feed: Mealworm and Black Soldier Fly Larvae as Novel Protein Sources

As the global population grows, so does the demand for animal protein, placing increasing pressure on livestock systems to produce more with fewer natural resources. This challenge has led researchers and agricultural scientists to seek alternative, more sustainable protein sources

Natural Ventilation

Natural ventilation has obvious advantages in that natural forces are used to ventilate buildings, reducing costs for both fans and electrical power. Natural forces include wind moving through, against, and over buildings, as well as thermal buoyancy of warmed air rising inside of the building.

Considerations regarding stocking density of transition cows

Varying stocking density can have an impact on number of displacements from the feed bunk or feeding space, regardless of parity. Huzzey and colleagues 55 observed 22 more displacements from the feed bunk per day among cows housed at 150% versus those housed at 100% When 1 cows shared a single automatic feeder dis.

What is insect chitin and what is its use?

Insects need to replace the old cuticle with a new cuticle to metamorphose and mature. The cuticle is the outermost component of insects that covers all the external parts of the body of invertebrates. It is also present in small amounts in some internal parts of the body of insects.

The importance of breeding insects

About 80% of the 1,600,000 animal species have been identified, belong to Arthropoda phylum. The group of insects in the Arthropoda phylum are the most diverse and populated.

What is mealworm and what is its use?

The larvae of the bark beetle are called Mealworms having their high nutritional value and are suitable feed for aquatic, animals and poultry. In this part, we will describe the life cycle and the uses of mealworms

Garbage in, garbage out: Impacts of silage mismanagement on the rumen

Silage management is not easy and involves many complex interactions to get the greatest return from the significant investment in growing, harvesting, storing and feeding quality forages.

How to improve (or hurt) your future repro results

These days, repro programs on progressive dairies are well-oiled machines. When it comes to annual pregnancy rates, we now tend to see more dairies around 30% than we see at 20%. And a 40+% annual average is no longer an unattainable dream of the future.

Considerations for spray application

Most dairies soak cows with potable water, and the amount used varies widely among farms (eg, 4.5-25.7 L/h per cow). In the coming decades, water is predicted to become increasingly limited. Therefore, in addition to mitigating heat stress, reducing water footprint is a major sustainability concern for the US dairy industry.

Role of mealworms in aquatic nutrition

Mealworms, the larval stage of darkling beetles (Tenebrio molitor), have gained attention as a potential ingredient in aquatic animal nutrition due to their high nutritional value and sustainability. While primarily known as a feed source for terrestrial animals, mealworms offer several benefits when incorporated into aquatic diets.

The optimal environmental conditions for breeding mealworms

The mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) is the larval stage of the darkling beetle. It is a common insect used in various applications, including animal feed, pet food, and human consumption.

Why do mealworms prefer the dark?

Mealworms prefer dark environments due to their natural behavior and ecological adaptations. There are a few reasons why they are more comfortable and thrive in darkness:

The properties of mealworm for humans

Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) have gained attention as a potential food source for humans due to their nutritional properties. Here are some of the properties of mealworms for humans:

Fiber is essential to horse health

The horse is a non-ruminant herbivore. And like all herbivores, it can fill most of its daily energy requirements by eating plant fiber.

1 2