UltraSorb Case Example

Farm: Dansville, New York

Herd: 2500 Holstein cows

Situation: Corn silage, haylage and corn meal based ration. Lab test confirm DON at 1000 ppm.

Application: Production on this dairy dropped significantly in late winter after the introduction of 2007 corn silage. By early spring, reproductive efficiencies were beginning to decline. Samples of the corn silage revealed levels on DON contamination averaging 1000 ppm.

Several competitive binding products were introduced with marginal success. On May 26, 2008, with milk production at 76 pounds per head per day, UltraSorb was added to the ration at 15 grams per head per day. On June 2nd, milk production had increased to 80 pounds per cow. By June 6th, the herd was averaging 82 pounds.

In addition to the increase in milk production, manure consistency of the herd improved and reproduction had returned to normal levels. It was also reported that problems with weak calves had disappeared. The herd has remained on 15 grams of UltraSorb through the summer and maintained the 80+ production level average. DON continues to be an issue in the corn silage and the farm will switch to Mycotex on August 8th to look for additional response.