4-18 IAN Dietary Adjustments

 Researchers at the University of Idaho are trying to tackle manure so to speak. Mario E. de Haro-Marti of University of Idaho Extension’s Gooding County office is trying to take on the noble task of reducing dairy odors and producing something he refers to as “designer manures” for applications in fertilizing. Most dairies, for example have three diets they routinely feed cows in different stages of the milking cycle, from shortly after they freshen with the birth of a calf to the peak of milk production to when they’re dry. Reviewing the nutrient content of each diet to strike a balance between proper cow nutrition and excess nutrients can significantly reduce emissions, de Haro-Marti said. “And by emissions we talk about gaseous emissions like ammonia or hydrogen sulfide odors but also the volume of manure in the case of calves.”   The program includes scientists who prepare and manage nutrient plans to farmers and others who make the plans reality. “The technology is a modification of the diet and is a mix of different techniques. What kinds of dietary changes do you make? Adjusting the protein level in cows is done not because of the emissions but because of the cost of protein.”