Dr. Alan Vaage

TMR CORNER Dr. Alan S. Vaage Ph.D.

I am surptised by how often I hear about beef producers, especially cow-calf producers, who are reluctant to feed minerals in their TMR mix.The most common concern expressed is "it will promote rust and accelerate wear." Inreality, this need not be the case, and continuing to rely on feeding minerals free-...

JAYLOR’S TMR CORNER: Is the scale less accurate with more feed in the mixer?

By Dr. Alan S. Vaage Ph.D.Q (me):  “Why are you putting your corn silage in last?”A (feeder):  I put the minerals, supplement and grains in before so they will be weighed more accurately since there is less feed in the mixer.Q2 (feeder):  Isn’t that right?A2 (me):  “Not...

JAYLOR TMR Corner: Non-traditional TMR Feeding – on Pasture

By Dr. Alan S. Vaage Ph.D.  For most cow-calf producers, a TMR mixer is used solely for the winter feeding period when grazing is unavailable. However, for a certain subset, the TMR mixer is an important tool for pasture management, and weaning, to ensure optimal calf production and profitability.Pasture...

TMR Corner: Change Your TMR Formulation Before Calving Starts

Spring calving season is approaching for many producers in North America and, especially for those in the more northerly areas, it is approaching the time when it is recommended to switch from a lower energy, mid gestation (non-lactating) maintenance ration to a higher energy, late gestation/calving ration. In this...

TMR Corner-Evaluating TMR mixer performance: the scale system

The objective of feeding a total mixed ration (TMR) is to provide a consistently uniform mix with the intended ingredient and nutrient composition, across the entire length of the feedbunk, with every batch. The scale system on the TMR mixer determines whether the correct amount of each ingredient is added to the...

TMR Corner:Which type of TMR mixer is right for you?

Go to any farm equipment show, or “surf” the internet, and you will see there are a wide range of makes and models of TMR mixer on the market today, which can make selecting the right one for you a bit confusing. In this issue we will look at the origin and key differences between the two main classifications of...

Are there concerns or limits for adding liquids to a TMR mixer?

When this column started, we encouraged our readers to forward their comments, questions and suggestions for topics to us by email at the address given at the end of the column. We thank you for the communications received to date, to which we reply directly. Starting with this issue, we will occasionally share with...