Cull cow condition: Is your cash flowing or slowing?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Diamond V | The Trusted Experts In Nutrition & Health^TM November 2011

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Management Message - Mike Wright

The future begins now - Diamond V unveils new corporate branding

The new brand focus, "The Trusted Experts in Nutrition & Health," reflects today's Diamond V and vision of the future: a customer-centered company focused on innovative technologies, cutting-edge products and value-added services meeting customer needs (MORE)

Producer Spotlight - Mario and Marjolein Vander Hulst

Cost management starts with nutrition at Sturgis Dairy

Mario and Marjolein Vander Hulst have created a game plan for their Sturgis Dairy, LLC, and it centers on the fundamentals. "Strive for low-cost inputs and seek high-value outputs," Mario

says. (MORE)

Technical Feature- Jeff Mikus, Ph.D.

Improving cull cow condition: How can it impact your cash flow?

Although high beef prices are in place, there can be a significant gap in pay price for cull animals. Opportunities exist for producers to reduce the spread in price between lower priced cull cows and those that bring a premium. (VIEW PDF)

Research Review - Brian Perkins, Ph.D.

ADSA 2011 technical review: Potassium reduces rumen fatty acids regardless of dietary fat levels

Adding potassium at low or high fat levels can still result in lower fatty acids and higher milkfat. (VIEW PDF)

Research Review - Bill Sanchez, Ph.D.

ADSA 2011 technical review: Spoilage yeast in silage and rumen fermentation

Spoilage yeasts can be a real problem in poorly fermented silages. (VIEW PDF)

Risk Management - Kyle Schrad

Looking ahead to 2012

With more and more dairy producers watching and using the CME dairy markets for pricing information, the fear is growing that 2012 may be a very tough year. A quick look at the markets suggests lower prices are almost a certainty in the next few months. (VIEW PDF)

Diamond V Unveils New Corporate Branding

By Mike Wright

Director

Global Research and Marketing

Five Strategic Business Principles:

Research Commitment
Technology Innovation
Quality Commitment
Technical Expertise
Industry Commitment

During the past seven decades, Diamond V became synonymous with "the trusted experts in nutrition and health," according to recent research. During these decades, Diamond V has gained an enviable reputation for supplying producers with effective products, technical expertise, quality and innovation.

Research shows that delivering predictable results is one of five ways Diamond V brings value to producers and their nutritionists. Other ways are technology innovation, quality commitment, technical expertise and industry commitment.

As you'll see on our revamped web site and in the first two ads (of a series of 4) below appearing in various producer publications, we're recommitting ourselves to earning your trust as experts in nutrition and health.

The Diamond V technical expertise ranks among the best in the industry. Each member of the technical staff is hand-picked as a respected expert in his or her field. These knowledgeable professionals excel at building relationships and transferring knowledge to the benefit of producers and their nutritionists.

We build relationships that result in partnerships -- the needs of our customers are our over-riding concern.

Past Nutrition Line Issues and Papers

Don't forget, you can access any past Nutrition Line technical feature through our global Web site in the News and Media section. You can also view past issues of Nutrition Line here. As always, if you have an opinion about Nutrition Line, I would very much like to hear it. We always appreciate your feedback. Feel free to send your remarks to Nutritionline@diamondv.com.

Please enjoy reading and best regards.

Mike

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Cost management starts with nutrition at Sturgis Dairy

Mario and Marjolein Vander Hulst have created a game plan for their Sturgis Dairy, LLC, and it centers on the fundamentals. "Strive for low-cost inputs, and seek high-value outputs," Mario says.

As the dairy owner, he concentrates on the inputs, making sure "for every penny you put in, you'll get many more back." Mario has had plenty of experience putting that plan into motion. He ran a 3000-cow dairy in southeastern Michigan for several years in the late 90s into 2003, after arriving in the U.S. from the Netherlands. After returning to Europe to manage several dairies in Germany, Mario and Marjolein came back to Michigan in 2005 to start their own dairy.

Mario and Marjolein Vander Hulst at their Sturgis, MI dairy

Since starting the dairy after acquiring a dairy property that had sat vacant for two years, he's always concentrated on profitability per cow.His pre-mix ration since starting the dairy has included Diamond V Original XP and SelenoSource AF 2000. When Mario retained his consulting nutritionist in 2009 to do a complete ration and cost review, Original XP and SelenoSource AF were retained in the ration.

"We've always used Diamond V. The SelenoSource gives us good selenium absorption and Vitamin E. XP is good for feed efficiency and stabilizing rumen health," says Mario.

As for the high "outputs, the Sturgis Dairy staff of eight looks after the cow handling and health, helping achieve production of more than 80 lbs per day. "We have really good help," says Mario. The dairy recently added a new special-needs barn housing cows 21 days before calving and 75 days after.

At the end of the day, it's pretty simple, according to Mario: "Get a business model in place and hold on to that model."

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See us at these industry events

Academy of Veterinary Consultants

Dec. 1-3

Denver, CO

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