Forage quality is the lever your milk components hang from.

The dairy hay problem

Dairy operations live and die by forage consistency. The TMR is engineered to deliver predictable nutrient ratios at the bunk; when the hay component shifts — protein up or down, fiber digestibility variable, mould or dust contaminating loads — the whole ration is compromised, and milk components reflect that immediately.

✓ Confirmed Heat damage during hay storage produces ADIP (Acid Detergent Insoluble Protein) — protein bound by Maillard reaction that's largely indigestible. Dairy nutritionists consistently flag ADIP as a major concern in stored hay. (Penn State Extension, UMN, multiple dairy nutrition references.)

⊙ Field Knowledge Mould-contaminated hay reduces dry matter intake. Cows refuse mouldy hay, push it out of the bunk, and over time — if forced to eat it — show measurable drops in production and component yield.

What HayRite does for dairy

1. Preserves protein

◐ Trial Data Lower bale temperatures observed in Darts' 2023 trial (~30% cooler internal temps in the first 14 days) imply less Maillard-reaction protein binding — i.e., more of the crude protein you grew remains digestible at feeding.

2. Reduces mould

◐ Trial Data Same 2023 trial: stem mould reduced from 33% incidence to 0%; leaf mould from 70% to 2%. Less mould at the bunk means less refusal, lower SCC risk from mycotoxin exposure, and consistent intake.

3. More predictable forage in the TMR

When stored hay maintains its quality from baling through feed-out, your nutritionist can engineer a tighter ration. Less compensation needed for variable forage protein. Less drift in the production curve.

How dairy operations are using HayRite

Model 1: On-farm haymaking

Operations that grow their own forage apply HayRite at baling, same setup as a propionic-acid sprayer. Most dairies that grow their own hay are already running a baler-mounted sprayer for chemical preservatives — the equipment swap is zero.

Model 2: Preferred suppliers

Operations that buy forage are starting to specify HayRite-treated hay from their suppliers. The premium for treated hay is typically 5–10% over untreated, and dairy nutritionists are increasingly making the case that the consistency premium pays back in component yields.

Model 3: Custom baler

Some custom balers now offer HayRite as a service tier. If your custom baler doesn't yet — send them our way; we have a Custom Baler Operator Economics Study running specifically for them.

Talking to your nutritionist

Most dairy nutritionists haven't yet seen DB38-specific data on milk-component outcomes — because that data doesn't exist yet at scale. What does exist:

• ⚠ Strain Caveat H57 (sister strain) feeding-effect studies in beef cattle (Ngo et al. 2021; Pan et al. 2022) showing positive ADG and feed conversion outcomes
• ✓ Confirmed Extensive Bacillus probiotic literature in dairy showing improved gut health and feed conversion
• ◐ Trial Data Darts' 2023 hay-quality trial showing lower temps, less mould, better preservation outcomes

If your nutritionist wants the strain-specific dairy data: that's exactly what the Milk Component Study will produce. We're transparent about the gap and we're filling it deliberately.