The final frontier for ruminant nutritionists - understanding all the intricacies and nuances of the microorganisms in the rumen. We know the rumen is adaptable and must anticipate these changes to better manage our herd. This month we talk with Dr. Mary Beth Hall, US Dairy Forage Research center, who investigated the relationship of non-fibrous carbohydrates and rumen degradable protein in the rumen and on production.

In 2022, we anticipate nutritionists will try out a variety of different energy sources throughout 2022, due to the challenging commodity markets. The research team specifically looked at feeding different rates of molasses (sugar) or ground corn (starch) when in the presence or absence of rumen degradable protein. She describes the results when her team  ‘looked under the hood’.

Listen in for this timely understanding of what to expect when shifting from a starch to a sugar and how to best manage ‘under the hood’ to keep your herd running smoothly.

Two companion articles were featured. These are found at: https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(22)00187-4/fulltext

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