There are many tools that a nutritionist may use to evaluate and monitor the nutritional status of high producing dairy cows. Evaluating the manure can provide information about general health, rumen fermentation, and digestive function of cows. Mature cattle excrete a total of 100 or more pounds every day. The amount of manure produced may vary due to feed and water intake, and may be greatly reduced by an unusual disruption in passage of digest through the digestive tract.

MANURE SCREENING:

• A subjective approach to find opportunities in starch and fiber digestion.
• A simple way to access rumen function of a dairy cow.
• Offers confirmation and direction for ration changes.

MANURE SCORING:

• A quick visual approach to find opportunities in starch and fiber digestion.
• A visual look to determine the extent of TMR sorting.
• Can help to diagnose areas for improvement in both ration formulation and management.

Links for more information:

www.animal.ufl.edu/hall