Digestive Physiology, Feed Composition and Analysis

• 01 - Th 09/07 - Rm. 209
• Pre-class - Introduce yourself to your classmates
• Pre-class - read: Ruminants vs. Non-Ruminants  -  Take a quiz (see Qz 01 above).
• In-class activities - Discussion of Ruminants vs. Non-Ruminants | Discussion of Teaming with Microbes.

• 02 - Tu 09/12 - Rm. 209
• Reading: Strategies of Digestion | Quiz (see Qz 02 above)
• Reading: Feed Composition and Analysis | Quiz (see Qz 03 above)
• Reading: Sorting Through Forage Tests Results
• In-class activity - Discussion of Strategies of Digestion web page
• In-class activity - Discussion of Feed Composition web page

• 03 - Th 09/14 - Rm. 209
• Reading: Understanding and Managing Variation in Feed Composition | Take a quiz (see Qz 04 above).
• Reading: Evaluating Silage Quality | Take a quiz (see Qz 05 above).
• In-class activity - Discussion of Understanding and Managing Variation in Feed Composition | Discussion of Silage Fermentation and Quality of Preservation | NRC-2001-Feed-Composition-Tables (excel spreadsheet).
• Note: Submit your project 1 product choices today by class time in the drop box (see project 1 links for details)

NRC 2001 Dry Matter Intake, Energy and Protein Systems

• 04 - Tu 09/19 - Rm. 209
• Reading: Dry Matter Intake of Dairy Cows | Take a quiz (see Qz 06 above).
• Tool: Experiment with the online Dry Matter Intake calculator to get of sense of how it works.
• In class activity: Factors Affecting, Regulation and Prediciton of DMI | Key. 
• In class activity: Rumen Fill versus Energy Intake Regulation of DMI | Key.

• 05 - Th 09/21 - Rm. 209
• Reading: Energy System I: Energy Supply | Take a quiz (see Qz 07 above).
• In class activity: How to calculate Feed energy content | How to calculate DMI-Feed TDN - Digestible Energy Discount Factors.

• 06 - Tu 09/26 - Rm. 209
• Reading: Energy System II: Energy-Partition-Requirement | Take a quiz (see Qz 08 above).
• In class activity: Energy System Spreadsheet | Understanding Energy Requirements and Energy Balance.

• 07 - Th 09/28 - Rm. 209
• Reading: NRC 2001 Protein System I: Protein Supply According to NRC 2001 | Take a quiz (see Qz 09 above).
• In class activity: With a board drawing we will try to highlight N metabolism in lactating dairy cows.

• 08 - Tu 10/10 - Rm. 209
• Reading: NRC 2001 Protein System II: Please review reading of 09/27 before class - Protein Supply According to NRC (Cont'd)
• In class activity: Calculation Degradation Kinetics and MP Supply (excel spreadsheet) | Step-by-Step calculation RDP, RUP, Rate of Passage, and Intestinal Digestible RUP.

• 09 - Th 10/12 - Rm. 209
• Reading: NRC 2001 Protein System III: Protein Requirements According to NRC 2001 | Take a quiz (see Qz 10 above).
• In class activity: MP Req. of Lactating Cow vs. Dry Cow | N balance of a cow vs. N balance of a group of cow in a pen.
• Note: Project 1 written report is due tomorrow at 11:00 pm

Newborn, Calf and Heifer Nutrition 

• 10 - Tu 10/17 - Rm. 209
• Readings - New born and calf nutrition: Nutrient Requirements of the Young Calf (NRC 2001). Note that you will not be evaluated on the Veal Calves, Minerals and Vitamins Requirements and Feed Additives sections of the reading. | Take a quiz (see Qz 11 above).
• Optional reading: Calf Nutrition - Hoffman


• Readings - Heifers: Heifer Nutrition.
• Optional readings - Heifers: Pasture Management for Heifers | Take a quiz (see Qz 12 above).
• Activity: Which Diet for Which Heifer?

• 11 - Th 10/19 - Rm. 209
• Mid-term exam A review of key concepts and midterm study guide will be posted here. Download Key Concepts Review and Midterm Study Guide

Project 1 Student Presentations

• 12 - Tu 10/24 - Rm. 209
• Project 1: Students' presentations Analysis of commercial products.

• 13 - Th 10/26 - Rm. 209
• Project 1: Students' presentations Analysis of commercial products.

• 14 - Tu 10/31 - Rm. 204
• Project 1: Students' presentations Analysis of commercial products.

Project 2 and Computer Lab: Formulation, Analysis and Evaluation of Dairy Rations with Spartan

• 15 - Th 11/02 - Rm. 204
• Readings (optional) by Dr. Mike Hutjens: Feeding cows in times of low milk price | Feed efficiency and ration evaluation benchmarks
• Introduction to Ration Balancing (a short power ppt)
• This Ration Guidelines handout will help you determine ration chemical composition adequacy for different groups of dairy cattle.
• Spartan Related documents: | Guided Tour | Glossary of Terms | Tips for Using Spartan | A tour for using Spartan Dairy.
• Computer Lab Activity: Spartan Continued: UW-ARLINGTON-CORN-SILAGE | UW-ARLINGTON-Haylage | 06-Feed Prices .

• 16 - Tu 11/07 - Rm. 204
• Computer Lab Activity: LCR Formulation Master (Linear programmed Excel spreadsheet) | Least Cost Formulation Activity (Step by step tutorial of least cost formulation).

Troubleshooting Dairy Rations

• 17 - Th 11/09 - Rm. 204
• Reading: Update on Dairy Herd Nutrition Troubleshooting (1.3 MB pdf) (Pages 109 to 115 only) | Take a quiz (see Qz 13 above).
• In class activity: TMR Errors and Biological Testing Discussion | TMR Errors and Biological Testing Discussion Key  |

• 18 - Tu 11/14 - Rm. 209
• Readings: Rastani - Short Dry Period | Drackley - Goldilocks Dry Cow Diet | Take two quizzes (see Qz 14 and Qz 15 above).
• In class activities: Rastani Short DryPeriod Discussion | Rastani Discussion KEY | Drackley Goldilocks Diet Discussion | Drackley Discussion KEY.

• 19 - Th 11/16 - Rm. 209
• Reading: Beede - Formulation Strategies for Cation-Anion Difference in Diets of Late Pregnant Dry Cows | Take a quiz (see Qz 16 above).
• In class activity: DCAD Discussion | Beeded Discussion KEY | DCAD Calculation Spreadsheet.

• 20 - Tu 11/21 - Rm. 209
• Reading: Update on Dairy Herd Nutrition Troubleshooting (1.3 MB pdf) (Page 117 - BHBA testing section and pages 118-119 - NEFA testing section) | NRC - Metabolic Disorders | Take a quiz (see Qz 17 above).
• In class activity: NEFA BHBA Discussion | KEY | Board Drawing.
• Note: Project 2 partial report is due at 9:00 pm today

•      - Th 11/23
• No Class -- Thanksgivings Recess.

• 21 - Tu 11/28 - Rm. 204
• Reading: Rumen Acidosis and Laminitis (NRC 2001) and Update on Dairy Herd Nutrition Troubleshooting (Page 115 to 116 only): Rumen Acidosis Section Only  | Take quizzes (see Qz 18 and Qz 19 above).
• In-Class Activity: Rumen Acidosis Discussion | KEY | Forage Moisture Impact (excel sheet).

• 22 - Th 11/30 - Rm. 209
• Reading: Broderick - Feeding To Reduce N Excretion and Wattiaux - Fine-Tuning MUN (Wattiaux) | Take quizzes (see Qz 20 and Qz 21 above).
• In-Class Activity: Dietary CP Discussion | KEY.

Project 2 Presentations

• 23 - Tu 12/05 - Rm. 209
• Project 2: Presentations and discussion of real-world dairy rations (Teams 1-3).

• 24 - Th 12/07 - Rm. 209
• Project 2: Presentations and discussion of real-world dairy rations (Teams 4-6).

• 25 - Tu 12/12 - Rm. 209
• Project 2: Presentations and discussion of real-world dairy rations (Teams 7-9).

Study Guide For Final Exam

• Review of Key Concepts.

Final Exam (Part I and optional Part II)

• Thursday 12/21 2:45 - 4:45 Room Russell Lab Room 150. 


• (OPTIONAL) Thursday 12/21 by 2:45 pm in Dropbox. Download the Optional Take Home here.
  Earlier submission is strongly encouraged. Note: If you choose to complete the optional take-home exam, it will count for 10% of your final grade and your in-class final exam will count for 15% of your final grade. if you choose to not do the optional take-home, your in-class final exam will count for 25% of your final grade. If you take the optional take-home, final grade will be calculated both ways (with and without the take-home) and the highest of the two scores will be used in assigning the final letter grade for the class.