Reviewing Nutrient Costs: 2009 vs. 2008 vs. 2007 Harvest Years

Dr. Joanne Knapp, Principal Technical Consultant, Fox Hollow Consulting, Columbus, OH (top of page) pdf file

The cost of providing NEl (Net Energy of lactation) in dairy rations this harvest year is closely paralleling the 2008-2009 crop year and is substantially down from the 2007-2008 crop year (Figure 1).  In contrast, the cost of providing MP (Metabolizable Protein) is averaging higher than in the 2008-2009 crop year and twice that of the 2007-2008 crop year (Figure 2).  Much of this cost is due to the price of feedstuffs that supply “bypass” or rumen undegradable protein, including the animal proteins (blood meal, hydrolyzed feather meal, and meat and bone meal), corn gluten meal, and whole cottonseed.  Given the decreases in the livestock and poultry industries in terms of placement and slaughter numbers, the supply of the animal proteins will likely continue to be limited relative to demand and prices will stay up.  However, don’t take these as golden predictions; I’m not an economist nor do I have a magic crystal ball!

Based on mid December wholesale prices for central Ohio, feed commodities fall into three groups:

Bargains

At Breakeven

Overpriced

Brewers’ grains, wet
Corn grain, ground
Corn silage
Distillers’ grains w/sol
Expeller SBM
Feather meal
Gluten feed
Meat and bone meal

Alfalfa hay 44%NDF 20%CP
Cottonseed, whole
Cottonseed meal 41%CP
Gluten meal
Hominy
Soybeans, whole
Soybean meal 48%CP
Wheat midds

Bakery byproduct
Blood meal
Canola meal
Fish meal
Molasses
Soybean meal 44%CP
Soyhulls
Tallow
Wheat bran