TECHNOLOGY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE May 2025 69 front of cows, volume delivered, and feed refusals so cows receive consistent nutrition day after day. REPORTING TOOLS OFFER VALUABLE INSIGHTS Feed management software does more than just keep feeding on track; it offers valuable insights to help producers make more informed decisions that impact the health of the herd and production efficiency. Each dairy is unique, and customizable reports and dashboards allow producers to generate information that’s most important to their specific dairy. These reports can be quickly referenced so key personnel and consultants can keep a pulse on performance and nutrition metrics, making necessary adjustments to optimize performance. Reports showing dry matter intake and ingredient usage are at the very base of any successful feeding program. These reports help producers and their team understand what their cows are eating and the volume of ingredients that are being fed. With this level of visibility, producers gain the power to fine-tune rations, verify ingredient usage and uncover new ways to optimize dry matter intake – capabilities that are virtually impossible without a dedicated feed management system. Automating reports from a feed management program allows for daily updates on things like feeder performance or inventory levels. Some dairies send inventory reports with run-out dates to their feed mill, streamlining delivery. Other dairies use the reports to identify opportunities for additional feeder training and to encourage continuous improvement. INTEGRATION WITH OTHER SOFTWARE At its core, efficiency on the dairy is defined by how many pounds of milk can be generated per pound of feed. Another benefit of VAS’ feed management software is that it can seamlessly integrate with a farm’s herd management system, such as DairyComp, allowing them to connect feed consumption with milk production to better understand income over feed costs. This is where hidden opportunities can really start coming into focus. In some instances, producers may realize that feeding a cheaper ration will result in greater potential profit and ultimately strengthen their bottom line. Integrating feed and herd management systems can also streamline daily workflows by seamlessly exchanging data on pen counts. This ensures the rations are automatically updated in real time, always reflecting the precise amounts that need to be mixed and delivered. Additionally, integrating an inventory management tool like WeighComp takes it a step further by tracking when commodities are coming into storage facilities, when it leaves and how it was used on the farm – enabling transparency and more proactive feed management. EASILY ACCESS FEED DATA FROM ANYWHERE Some feed management software enables data storage in the cloud, which offers an additional layer of flexibility to the system. Now information can be shared and easily accessed from literally anywhere. Farmers, consultants and veterinarians can review real-time feeding data, offering guidance and decision-making support without needing to be on-site. With the sheer volume of feed processed each day on a dairy, and the mountains of data available, it takes more than a pen and paper to stay current. A good feed management system simplifies the process, saves money, empowers your team and helps ensure cows get the nutrition they need – every single day.
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