Animate® Resources

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High Calcium — Right for Your Cow, Good for Your Business

As dairy nutritionists and dairy producers seek efficiencies and identify best management practices to address current economic pressures, it’s more important than ever for them to have the confidence that proven practices are continuing to pay off with consistent performance and ROI.

Confirming Perceptions, Challenging “Old Wisdom”

With farmers pressured to maximize performance while minimizing their herds’ exposure to costly health risks, it’s critical to rely on research-based, well-proven feeding practices that optimize results.

Proving the Pay Off

As dairy farmers explore ways to improve profitability, a University of Illinois study identified several opportunities which can lead to an improved return on investment.

A Healthy Bottom Line

Feeding a fully acidogenic, high-calcium diet utilizing Animate® impacts dairy cow health and return on investment.

The Benefits of Urine pH Testing Go Beyond Monitoring DCAD

Urine pH testing has been used for decades as a management tool to successfully feed a prepartum negative Dietary Cation Anion Difference diet. But why?

You Should Expect More Than Just High Blood Calcium Levels

While there is no strategy that results in zero incidences of hypocalcemia, some feeding strategies pay a better return on investment than others.

Animate®: Palatable and Consistent

Learn how Animate® nutritional specialty product is being successfully fed in a pasture-based system to provide consistent results in herd health.

The Impact of a Prepartum Fully Acidogenic, High Calcium Diet

See the impact of feeding a fully acidogenic, high dietary calcium prepartum diet in this University of Wisconsin study.

The Difference of a Fully Acidogenic DCAD Diet

A study from Cornell University evaluated the effects of decreasing DCAD — using Animate® nutritional specialty product in the prepartum diet — on urine pH, postpartum calcium concentration, dry matter intake and milk production.

The Trusted Science Behind a Fully Acidogenic, High-Calcium Diet

It’s hard to argue with sound science – when results are definitively verified through independent scientific research.

Do DCAD Right in Three Easy Steps

How Feeding a Prepartum Fully Acidogenic Diet Can Help Reduce Postpartum Health Events

What’s the Best Approach?

Partially Versus Fully Acidogenic Diets: Experts Weigh In

Urine pH and Calcium Targets for Fully Acidogenic, Negative DCAD Diet Formulation

The correct combination of compensated metabolic acidosis along with dietary calcium levels helps optimize calcium metabolism in the dairy cow. Learn the targets.

Not All Anionic Products Are Created Equal

The ability to feed an anionic product under various feeding conditions is a sign of the product’s quality and composition.

“The most important cow on the dairy farm is the transition cow.”

Hear from a dairy producer on why he turns to Phibro to start his cows off right.

Study Demonstrates Benefits to Feeding a Fully Acidogenic Ration With High Dietary Calcium

Three experts review the results from a trial presented at an American Dairy Science Association Annual meeting.

Phibro and Animate: Your Partners for Success

A dairy producer describes how Phibro dairy experts help keep her transition cows healthy and productive.

Reduce Hypocalcemia & Improve Transition Cow Performance

A dairy producer describes how feeding a fully acidogenic, high dietary calcium diet helps him achieve his goals for transition cow success.

Summary of Data Demonstrating the Benefits of Feeding a Fully Acidogenic Prepartum Diet

Data obtained from Animate Challenge studies demonstrate superior benefits to feeding Animate compared to other DCAD products.

The Difference Among Full-, Partial and Non-DCAD Diets

To meet the high requirement for milk calcium in early lactation, feeding an acidogenic diet positively changes calcium metabolism in transitioning dairy cows.

Control Milk Fever Through Prefresh Diet

The transition from late pregnancy to lactation requires enormous physiological adaptations by the dairy cow.

A Fully Acidogenic Negative DCAD Diet Can Help Keep You Profitable

Learn how your prepartum DCAD diet should work for you.

DCAD Done Right

Hit the bullseye with these four steps to maximize your prepartum DCAD program.

Why Worry About Hypocalcemia?

Hypocalcemia leads to increased likelihood of health disorders and can reduce fertility of dairy cows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about feeding a prepartum DCAD diet? We have answers!

Ten Best Management Practices for Prefresh Feeding Programs

Dr. Kirk reviews the feeding and management recommendations to maximize prepartum DCAD diet performance.

Doing DCAD Right

Dr. Bascom reviews calcium status and production data from studies conducted at Cornell and Illinois.

Managing Calcium Status and Preventing Hypocalcemia in Fresh Cows

Dr. Bascom reviews the consequences of low serum calcium concentrations and how to reduce the risk of hypocalcemia in fresh cows.

Five Reasons To Make Understanding DCAD Nutrition a Priority

Learn why feeding an acidogenic ration adds up to greater farm profitability.

Animate® Nutritional Specialty Product Helps Support Reproductive Performance

See the results of feeding a fully acidogenic prepartum diet with high dietary calcium in this University of Illinois study.

Is Animate® Palatable? We’ve Got You Covered!

See how the free-choice consumption of Animate® nutritional specialty product in a pasture-based feed program can work for your operation.

Track the Trends

The Animate® App is designed to help you track the factors that affect transition cow performance, including ration DCAD, urine pH, bunk space, stocking density, days in close-up and other key parameters.

  • Set up and organize your dairy information.
  • Enter data based on individual cows’ and farm details.
  • View all data entered collectively by date.
  • View and track trends for your herd over time.

You Herd Right Podcast

You Herd Right Podcast

Take a deep dive into a range of topics, tactics and innovations in dairy production. Gain greater insights into dairy cow health and the success of dairy operations. Hear from experts in the field as we dig into the details and best practices for nutrition, animal health and dairy cattle management.

    Episodes include:

  • Feeding and managing your prepartum dairy cows.
  • Research that supports fully acidogenic, high dietary calcium diets.
  • Mineral guidelines.
  • Compensated metabolic acidosis.

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Continuing Education For Dairy Professionals

For more content from industry experts, sign up for Phibro Academy and access the latest insights on dairy health and more from around the world.
Featured Webinars

Animate Research: 2019 ADSA Virtual Press Conference

Hypocalcemia affects more transition dairy cows than any other fresh cow disorder. Learn how to keep productivity high with a low urine pH by watching this webinar.

Monitoring calcium status of postpartum dairy cows-effective use of acidogenic, prepartum diets

Watch this webinar to learn about recent research on the interactions of prepartum acidogenic diets with calcium intake on fresh cow health, production and reproduction.

Talk to Your Dairy Advisor

Learn how Animate nutritional specialty product can support a proper DCAD balance in your herd.