M. L. Eastridge1 and W. P. Weiss
The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences
A new release (Version 5.2) of the Ohio Dairy Ration Program is now available. The program is designed to provide for evaluation and least-cost formulation of rations for lactating and dry cows and heifers. The program also provides a feed library, allows for formation of feed batches, and summarizes feed costs on an individual animal, animal group, and herd basis. One of the unique new features is the calculation of nitrogen and phosphorus output in milk and manure on an animal group and herd basis. Evaluation of lysine and methionine in diets has been included in the new release. The program assists in developing feeding strategies for meeting nutritional requirements, minimizing feed costs, and monitoring the nitrogen and phosphorus balance on dairy farms.
1 For more information, contact at: The Ohio State University, 221B Animal Science Building, 2029 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43210, 614-688-3059, Fax 614-292-1515, e-mail: eastridge.1@osu.edu