Amid rising feed costs, feed management software is a dairy farm essential
As feed costs rise, feed management software is key for dairy producers to maximize their investment.
In recent years, the dairy industry has experienced a steady increase in feed costs, spurred by changes in climate patterns and supply chain disruptions, as well as shifting consumer demand. As a result, producers are finding new ways to optimize their feed management strategies and cut costs. One way you can better manage your feed program is with the help of a feed management software program like FeedWatch.
FeedWatch helps manage inventory and optimize feed production and usage while increasing efficiency, enhancing collaboration and reporting and improving animal health.
Efficiency
Improved efficiency is one of the biggest advantages of using FeedWatch, offering better workflows and minimizing human error whenever possible. FeedWatch automates and streamlines many of the tasks involved in feed management, such as feed formulation, inventory management and delivery scheduling. This automation not only saves time but also helps reduce waste and shrink while improving overall feed quality and keeping costs under control.
Derrick Josi from Wilsonview Dairy in Oregon is saving $200-$400 every day since implementing FeedWatch. “I went from five loads of ground corn a month to four loads. Pretty easy to see the savings just in that ground corn bill,” Derrick said.
Collaboration
Another key benefit of feed software is improved collaboration among your team, both on and off the farm. FeedWatch is cloud-based, which means that multiple users can access and update the same data in real-time from different locations. This allows for better communication and coordination between producers, employees and nutritionists involved in the feed production and delivery process.
Animal health
Feed software can support your focus on animal health. By optimizing feed formulation and ensuring that animals receive the proper rations, you can improve production, reduce the incidence of disease and increase overall animal health.
“FeedWatch makes it so I have healthier cows because I’m not giving them way too much of one thing one day and then thinking, oh, well I screwed that up yesterday so I’m going to cut them back today,” Derrick explained. “Their rumen is getting a much more consistent product into it every day which makes for a happy rumen.”
Why FeedWatch?
FeedWatch is a comprehensive feed software solution that offers a wide range of tools and features to help producers manage their feed production and usage. Key features of FeedWatch include:
Feed formulation: FeedWatch uses a powerful feed formulation tool that allows you to create custom feed recipes based on your specific animal nutrition requirements. Enter details such as ingredient dry matter percentage (DM%), ingredient cost, ingredient quantity per head and FeedWatch will calculate your DM per head and recipe DM%. The recipe DM%, pen target DMHD and pen count are then used to calculate the quantity required by ingredient for each load to be fed for one or multiple pens.
Inventory management: FeedWatch features robust inventory management tools to help keep track of feed ingredients and finished products. These tools allow you to monitor inventory levels in real-time, track usage and shrink and ensure you always have enough feed on hand to meet demand.
Delivery scheduling: FeedWatch includes a delivery scheduling tool that helps coordinate feed delivery to your farm. Schedule deliveries based on factors such as feed usage rates, delivery capacity and weather conditions.
Take control
Feed software is more essential than ever in today’s fast-paced agricultural landscape. By automating many of the tasks involved in feed management, improving collaboration between stakeholders and optimizing feed formulations, your team can increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve animal health for your herd.
Maximize your feed investment
Contact your local VAS farm performance consultant or inquire below to discuss how FeedWatch’s comprehensive set of tools and features can help you take control of feed costs.
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Maximize your feed investment
Contact your local VAS farm performance consultant or inquire below to discuss how FeedWatch’s comprehensive set of tools and features can help you take control of feed costs.
