Northern New York farmers are interested in properly and cost-effectively feeding their dairy cows. To help them evaluate economically-feasible replacements for corn grain in dairy rations, the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) has provided funding to the William H. Miner Agricultural Institute to conduct a comprehensive inventory and analysis of accessible and appropriate dairy diet substitute products.
High corn prices are driving farmer interest in favor of feeding more high quality forage in place of grain to their cows.
‘This research is timely in responding to the need for farmers to reduce the use of corn in feed rations. Corn prices have reached all-time highs in recent years and although they may trend downward due to high yields in 2013, prices are expected to remain higher than historical averages,’ said Miner Institute President Dr. Rick Grant.