PROMOTE® I.C.E.® PLUS

Tim and Megan Schrupp are part owners of NexGen Dairy LLC in Eden Valley, MN, with Megan’s parents and her sister and brother-in-law, Ellen and Brandon Stenger. NexGen Dairy milks about 1,000 cows and runs 1,500 acres of corn and alfalfa. Currently the dairy milks Jersey and Jersey crosses to produce high quality milk for cheddar cheese production. They also raise all their heifer replacements for the dairy on site.

 

 

WHAT STRATEGIES DOES YOUR DAIRY USE FOR HEAT ABATEMENT?

Our heat abatement strategies include active cooling measures and adjusting our nutrition and feeding protocols. In the warmer seasons, the curtains are raised in our six-row freestall barns to allow free airflow. We also use fans and sprinkler systems in the pens and string out shade cloths outside. From a nutrition standpoint, we monitor dry matter intake and change to feeding twice daily to keep fresh feed in front of the cows. Additionally, we have been feeding Promote® I.C.E.® Plus  for 15 years now and continue to feed it because we feel it is a worthy investment.

 

HOW HAS PROMOTE I.C.E. PLUS WORKED FOR YOUR HERD?

We don't see a decrease in milk production or fertility like we used to throughout the summer months. However, here in Minnesota, we do experience some hot and humid summer stretches. With our automated cow monitoring system, we can track group breathing rates on our cows and attest that cows are heat stressed at lower temperature days than we once thought.

After implementing Promote I.C.E. PLUS, we didn’t see as large of a production hit when cows were heat stressed. Fertility is also very important on our herd and monitored closely. Our team felt that when benchmarks and goals were compared to similar stretches of heat stress, our cows fared much better after Promote I.C.E. PLUS was added to the ration.

 

WHEN DO YOU FEED PROMOTE I.C.E. PLUS AND HOW DO YOU INCLUDE IT IN YOUR RATIONS?

We feed Promote I.C.E. PLUS starting in May using our complete base mix to our high lactation groups, low lactation groups, and dry cows. We continue to feed Promote I.C.E. PLUS into the fall season, depending on the temperature and heat index.

 

HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO OTHER HEAT STRESS FEED ADDITIVE YOU HAVE TRIED?

When comparing the cost/head/day to other additives, Promote I.C.E. PLUS gives us the best return on investment. Many possible investments could be made on today’s dairy farms. Feeding Promote I.C.E. PLUS assists and supports not only our milk production in periods of heat stress but also our herd’s fertility.

 

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING TOWARDS FOR THE FUTURE?

Our main goal is to continue to be profitable and sustainable so that our dairy can be passed down to the next generation. We feel it is important to set specific goals and benchmarks for all areas of our dairy to achieve this. These goals push our team to be more efficient and reach new heights. We also use a support system of industry professionals, mentors, and peers who expose us to new research, data, and ideas. They help us transform our dairy and quickly pivot when we need to. In the future, we plan to continue to rely on our foundation of tried-and-true management strategies while also looking for new opportunities for improvement.

 

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Have one of our team members reach out or contact your local nutritionist or feed mill.