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At the 2024 Penn State Dairy Nutrition Workshop, Dr. Adam Lock from Michigan State University presented groundbreaking research on the benefits of feeding high-oleic soybeans (HOSB) to dairy cows. His findings showcased how HOSB can enhance milk production efficiency, improve feed value, and contribute to better overall dairy nutrition.

HOSB, a homegrown feed option in rich oleic acid, provides an economical source of 18-carbon fatty acids. Roasting and grinding these soybeans further increases their nutritional value by boosting undegradable protein and reducing anti-nutritional factors. This makes them an effective ingredient in dairy rations, with the potential to increase milk yield and optimize production efficiency.

Dr. Lock also explored the added advantages of combining HOSB with palmitic acid in feed diets. Research suggests that including 8-16% HOSB in dairy cow diets can significantly increase milk components such as butterfat, helping producers improve profitability by maximizing milk output relative to feed costs.

While these findings are promising, Dr. Lock emphasized the importance of ongoing research to refine feeding strategies. In particular, the transition and early lactation periods require careful study to fully understand the role of HOSB in supporting cow health and productivity.

This research highlights the potential of HOSB as a valuable and sustainable feedstuff, offering producers an opportunity to enhance the efficiency and nutritional quality of their dairy operations.

Summarized by Dr. Alanna Kmicikewycz, Ph.D.

Interested in learning more?

For a copy of Dr. Lock’s presentation deck or additional details, please provide your email below.

Demonstrating leadership, the Perdue team at Binghamton, New York’s blending facility is taking an innovative approach to plastic waste management. Input material that arrives at the facility is often wrapped in thin plastic film, which before now wound up in the local landfill. “After putting a proposal together, which ultimately led to the investment in a vertical baler, we are now ready to begin a pilot program that will capture an estimated one to two tons of plastic per month for recycling,” said Brian Rice, Plant Manager, Binghamton. “We are very excited about this project, as the company is not just increasing our recycling rate, we are also ensuring that plastic is truly recycled into other reusable products.”

According to the EPA, plastic accounts for 18.5% of total landfilled waste in the U.S., with 85% of generated plastic ending up in landfills across the country. One ton of recycled plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space, which is roughly the size of a small bedroom.

The pilot project in Binghamton directly supports Perdue’s waste reduction efforts, while also tracking with the EPA’s strategy of reducing plastic input, improving post-material management, and preventing waste from entering waterways. A big thanks to our Binghamton team for leading the way in sustainability!

Perdue Animal Nutrition is proud to welcome Dr. Alanna Kmicikewycz to the role of Technical Services Manager for the Upper Midwest Region.
 
Born and raised in Illinois, Alanna earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Following her undergraduate studies, she received her Master’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Minnesota and her Ph.D. in Animal Science from The Pennsylvania State University, both with an emphasis on ruminant nutrition. Her Master’s research focused on nutritional feeding and management strategies to optimize growth and health in dairy calves, and her Ph.D. research focused on forage mitigation methods for subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in high producing dairy cattle.  
 
Alanna is passionate about bringing research and innovative feed technologies to the forefront of the dairy industry in order to make a positive and significant impact for dairy cattle and producers alike. She resides in Wisconsin and enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, hiking, and reading.

The FlockLeader team is excited to announce our newest retail product: FREEDOM FLY, a black soldier fly larvae poultry (BSFL) treat for backyard chickens.

At Perdue, we are committed to safety, nutrition, and sustainability. That’s why FREEDOM FLY has a 100% American supply chain—grown and dried in Kentucky, and packaged in Arkansas with materials produced in the USA.

Backyard chicken owners care about transparency because they want to feel confident about the safety, quality, and sustainability of the treats they feed their flocks. When it comes to BSFL, transparency matters even more. While American-grown BSFL are highly regulated and regularly tested, international larvae are not held to the same facility standards or manufacturing practices. Larvae grown outside of the USA can be fed unregulated food sources, including animal and human waste, and so the quality and safety of the final product can’t be guaranteed.

FREEDOM FLY BSFL are all natural and free of added hormones, raised without antibiotics or pesticides, and fed a regulated diet to ensure premium quality and safety for your flock. Our commitment to a completely American Supply Chain allows us to guarantee FREEDOM FLY BSFL are a premium quality product.

Visit the FlockLeader website to learn more!

Perdue Animal Nutrition is collaborating with Cornell University on a sustainability initiative funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture to determine the effect of fatty acids on methane emissions. Decreasing methane is a core sustainability initiative proposed for the dairy industry in the last few years, and this grant is the first official sustainability initiative for Perdue Animal Nutrition. This grant is led by Dr. Joe McFadden and a group of other scientists from Cornell University.

Methane is an important greenhouse gas that can contribute to global warming. Production of beef and dairy cows can add to methane emission since this gas is naturally produced during the digestion process. In this study, we explore the importance of the fatty acid profile of diets to optimize animal performance and profitability. Determining the effects of these individual fatty acids on methane will help us better understand what fatty acids are most effective, and what dietary conditions or environmental conditions may work better.

Perdue Animal Nutrition is excited to announce that KESSENT™ Me, a next generation rumen-protected methionine supplement based on leading research and proven results, is available now!  

KESSENT™ Me offers rumen-protected methionine for dairy producers who demand precision in their feed formulations and operational efficiency and sustainability. The encapsulation and core technology in KESSENT™ Me are proven to provide the best source of metabolizable methionine for ruminants.

When you choose KESSENT™ Me for your herd, it’s backed by the same unmatched technical support and unbeatable customer service you’re used to receiving from Perdue.

Learn more

Perdue Animal Nutrition has made a positive change to further develop and execute their silage inoculant business. Aaron Stepnoski, previously Territory Manager for the Mid-Atlantic area, has accepted the new Large Dairy Herd Specialist role. He will identify new and expanded opportunities in the organic, conventional, and private label inoculant categories, while working with Territory and Regional Sales Managers to increase inoculant sales and support in appropriate markets.

Aaron joined Perdue Animal Nutrition in June 2019. He has successfully served as a Territory Manager in the mid-Atlantic territory and most recently has provided direct technical services leading to mutually successful business opportunities.

Perdue Animal Nutrition is proud to announce Tyler Witter recently joined Perdue Animal Nutrition as Territory Manager for the western U.S.  Tyler earned his B.Sc. at Colorado State University and has over seven years of experience in selling value-added products to the dairy, beef, and swine industries. Previously, Tyler worked with J.D. Heiskiell & Co as Regional Account Manager in CO, KS, and southwest NE working with small and large herds. 

Tyler grew up near Shippensburg, PA on a 160-acre beef and crop farm. He served as Vice President of the Pennsylvania FFA and earned the FFA American Farmer Degree. Later, he attended Colorado State University in Ft Collins, CO and now resides in Greeley, CO.

Perdue is excited to welcome Tyler as part of the Animal Nutrition team. 

Dr. Alissa Moritz joins Perdue Animal Nutrition as the new Poultry Technical Services Manager. Dr. Moritz will relocate to Salisbury, MD to provide technical support for our existing commercial poultry business, along with managing poultry research and development, and overall quality control for Perdue Animal Nutrition.

Dr. Alissa Moritz grew up in New Jersey and received her B.S. degree in Animal Biosciences from the University of Delaware. Her interest in poultry science grew during her undergraduate studies while gaining research experience with avian diseases and emergency disease response methods. Dr. Moritz recently completed her Ph.D. in Poultry Nutrition from Clemson University. Her doctoral research focused on evaluating tannin-free grain sorghum as an alternative feed ingredient and its implications on broilers and quail’s performance and intestinal health. She enjoys anything involving the great outdoors in her free time, from kayaking to hiking to training for half marathons. She and her 14-year-old cat, Freckles, currently reside in Maryland and are happy to call the beach home again!