State dairy princess alternate Darcy Heltzel draws on past experiences to prepare for her future as she heads to college to double major in food science and animal science.
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When it comes to maximizing protein and fat components on his 882-cow dairy, Alan Waybright prefers a simple approach.
At Piney Mar Farm in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, Jennifer Heltzel relies heavily on rations formulated with corn silage, haylage and wheatlage to keep the components high in her herd of 135 milking cows.
And at the Miner Institute in northern New York, Heather Dann said a focus on diet and environment is the key to boost components in the 480-cow herd.
The three approaches were highlighted during a Feb. 10 session at the 2021 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit. While the approaches on each farm may vary, the goal is the same: Improve fat and protein yields to increase profitability.