TMR vs Conventional Feeding
Why most high-yielding housed herds feed a TMR — and what typically changes when you switch.
| Factor | Conventional Feeding | TMR |
|---|---|---|
| Selective eating | Cows sort for high-energy grains, leave roughage | No sorting possible — mixed batch |
| Rumen pH stability | Peaks and valleys depending on feed timing | Stable throughout day — lower SARA risk |
| Feed waste | 5–25% (roughage left behind) | 2–8% with good bunk management |
| Labour | Multiple separate feeding events | One batch mixed once or twice daily |
| Nutritional accuracy | Each cow eats differently | Every mouthful has same nutrient profile |
| Milk fat % | Variable — low when sorting occurs | More consistent 3.8–4.2% |
Common TMR Ingredients & Nutrient Values
Know your ingredients before you formulate. Typical nutritional values for widely used feeds — lab-test your own forages.
| Ingredient | DM% | CP% | NDF% | NEL Mcal/kg | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat Straw | 90% | 3–4% | 78–82% | 0.90 | Bulk/fibre only — no nutritional value beyond NDF |
| Berseem (fresh) | 15–20% | 18–22% | 30–35% | 1.58 | High-protein clover forage — excellent palatability |
| Maize Silage | 28–35% | 8–10% | 42–48% | 1.55 | Best energy silage — the backbone of most TMRs |
| Sorghum Silage | 25–30% | 7–9% | 50–55% | 1.45 | Good summer alternative to maize silage |
| Cottonseed Meal | 90% | 38–42% | 28–30% | 1.72 | Cost-effective protein — use 1.5–2.5 kg/cow/day |
| Wheat Bran | 89% | 14–16% | 38–42% | 1.45 | Cheap energy + fibre — good up to 2 kg/cow/day |
| Mustard Cake | 90% | 34–38% | 24–26% | 1.65 | High glucosinolates — limit to 0.5 kg/cow/day |
| Maize Grain (Corn) | 88% | 8–9% | 10–12% | 1.92 | Best energy concentrate — expensive but efficient |
| Soybean Meal | 88% | 44–48% | 14–16% | 1.83 | Expensive but highest quality protein — use selectively |
| Molasses | 72% | 4–6% | 0% | 1.58 | Energy + palatability improver — max 0.5 kg DM/cow/day |
| Bypass Fat (Calcium Soap) | 99% | 0% | 0% | 4.80 | Energy for early lactation — 200–300g/cow/day |
| Mineral Mixture | 98% | 0% | 0% | 0 | 150g/cow/day — Ca, P, Mg, trace minerals |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | 99% | 0% | 0% | 0 | Rumen buffer — 100–150g/cow/day in high-concentrate rations |
Nutrient Requirements by Lactation Stage
One ration does not fit all stages. Adjust for each group.
| Stage | DMI kg/day | CP% | NDF% min | NEL Mcal/kg | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (Far-off, 60–21 days) | 10–12 | 12–13% | 40–45% | 1.35 | Low energy, high fibre — prevent fat cow syndrome |
| Close-up / Transition (21–0 days) | 11–13 | 15–16% | 33–36% | 1.54 | Prepare rumen for high-concentrate lactation diet |
| Fresh Cow (0–21 DIM) | 16–18 | 17–18% | 28–30% | 1.65 | Maximum palatability — fight negative energy balance |
| Early Lactation (21–100 DIM) | 18–22 | 17–18% | 28–30% | 1.68 | Highest energy density — push yield |
| Mid Lactation (100–200 DIM) | 18–20 | 16–17% | 30–32% | 1.60 | Reduce concentrate gradually, rebuild BCS |
| Late Lactation (200–305 DIM) | 16–18 | 14–15% | 32–35% | 1.52 | Cut concentrate, maintain BCS 3.0–3.5 for dry-off |
Worked Ration Example — 25 L/day HF Cow
600 kg body weight, 90 DIM (early lactation), winter season (berseem available). Nutrient figures use mid-range values from the ingredient table above.
Ration Ingredients (As-Fed)
| Ingredient | kg/day (as-fed) |
|---|---|
| Berseem (fresh) | 48 kg |
| Wheat Straw | 2.2 kg |
| Cottonseed Meal | 2.5 kg |
| Wheat Bran | 1.5 kg |
| Maize Grain | 4.5 kg |
| Molasses | 0.3 kg |
| Bypass Fat | 0.25 kg |
| Mineral Mixture | 0.15 kg |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | 0.12 kg |
| TOTAL | ~59.5 kg |
Ration Analysis
Energy density is a little under the early-lactation figure in the table above, but at 18.7 kg of dry matter the ration supplies about 30 Mcal NEL a day — more than the roughly 28 Mcal a 600 kg cow needs for 25 L at 3.8% fat. Fresh or higher-yielding cows need more grain or bypass fat. Lab-test your own forages before copying any ration.
SARA Prevention
Sub-Acute Ruminal Acidosis is the silent profit killer on high-concentrate dairy rations.
What Is SARA?
Rumen pH drops below 5.8 for 3+ hours/day due to excess fermentable carbohydrates. Damages rumen lining, reduces milk fat%, causes laminitis, reduces feed intake.
SARA Signs
Loose dung (not scoured — loose), milk fat% drops (below 3.2% in HF), inconsistent feed intake, mild laminitis (shifting weight), reduced body condition score despite adequate feed.
Minimum NDF Rule
Never formulate below 28% NDF on DM basis for lactating cows. Minimum 21% of DM as forage NDF (particles >4mm). This is the most important SARA prevention rule.
Sodium Bicarbonate
Add 100–150g/cow/day in high-concentrate rations (above 55% concentrate). Bicarb buffers rumen pH. Non-negotiable for peak lactation HF and F1 cows on TMR.
Transition Feeding
The most critical SARA window is 0–21 DIM. Transition from dry cow diet (high NDF) to lactation diet (high energy) over 3 weeks minimum. Never switch abruptly.
Particle Length
Use a TMR particle sizer (Penn State Separator). Penn State targets for a TMR: about 2–8% on the top sieve (>19 mm), 30–50% on the middle sieve (8–19 mm), 10–20% on the lower sieve (4–8 mm) and no more than 30–40% in the pan. Too fine = SARA. Too coarse = sorting.
HerdManager.co Feed Formulation Module
Build rations, check them against nutrient requirements, and follow feed cost per litre — all in one place.
Ration Builder
Build and save rations from a built-in library of common feeds. The tool totals DM, CP, NDF, NEL, calcium and phosphorus as you add ingredients.
Requirements Calculator
Enter body weight, days in milk, lactation number, milk yield and milk fat/protein. The tool estimates dry-matter intake and NRC-based nutrient requirements and checks your ration against them.
Feed Cost per Litre
See each pen's feed cost per litre of milk and feed conversion (kg feed per litre) from your recorded feeding and milk. For income over feed cost, use our free IOFC calculator.
Editable Ingredient Values
Typical values for forages, grains, protein meals, by-products, minerals and additives — edit any ingredient's DM, CP, fibre or energy to match your own lab results.
Pen Feeding Records
Per-pen feeding plans with daily feed records from any phone browser. Feed stock is drawn down as you record, with low-stock alerts.
AI Farm Assistant
Ask the AI farm assistant (powered by DeepSeek) about your own herd, milk and stock records. Ration checks themselves use the NRC-based calculator, not AI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common TMR and feeding questions from dairy farmers.
Build Better Rations. Know Your Feed Cost per Litre.
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