Wouldn’t it be nice if cows always stayed healthy by consuming the perfect amount of feed and producing a predictably profitable volume of milk?

Nice, but unrealistic. 

That’s because countless pressures, such as pathogen threats from inconsistent feed, interfere with that ideal scenario. These threats can manifest themselves in many adverse ways—everything from off-feed events to inconsistent milk production.

Here’s the unwelcome reality: Despite all the time and resources that the industry spends formulating rations to optimize health, about 30% of all cows have suboptimal rumen function even under normal conditions.*

Searching for answers in the ration. 

There are, of course, many ways to deal with the threats you face day in and day out. Common reactions often revolve around the ration itself, either by analyzing countless factors to pinpoint problems before new issues arise or by adding and removing ingredients in search of answers.

But at the end of the day, it’s impossible to control all possible factors by adjusting the ration or trying to identify its every possible flaw. And since unhealthy cows produce less, your pain is compounded, continuing a spiral of intensifying issues and more time and resources spent trying to solve mysteries.

Two alternative ways to get ahead of pathogen challenges

Want to get ahead of pathogen challenges so your cows won’t have to divert energy to battle them in their gastrointestinal tracts? Consider these two strategies:

1. Improve feed hygiene to help optimize health. It’s no secret that providing cleaner feed that’s free of pathogens helps optimize animal health. Since feed hygiene plays such an important role in success, we’re offering a free feed hygiene checklist that will make sure you’re leaving no stone unturned. You can find details on how to get yours below.
2. Send microbes on a pathogen-battling mission. Even the best feed hygiene can’t ensure that your feed remains entirely free of all pathogens. Natural products like CERTILLUS™ Targeted Microbial Solutions can help build resiliency ahead of hidden challenges. A comprehensive study of 2,200 lactating cows has shown that CERTILLUS-fed cows had higher milk yield, greater energy-corrected milk, improved fiber digesting bacteria, less clostridia and Clostridium perfringens and lower inflammatory markers.^*

^{*References available upon request.}