Field note · 3 min · 2026-09-07
Shake the bunk, not the memory
The particle box is only honest if the sample is the diet the cow can reach.
ShareShake the bunk, not the memory
Sample across the bunk face after delivery has settled, not from the first grab out of the wagon. One scoop from a sorted corner will lie.
Penn State’s sieve guidelines are for high-producing TMR. Dry cows and heifers are a different question. Write down moisture and mixer time next to the percentages so you can compare weeks.
If the top sieve is empty and the pan is heavy, the mat is already in trouble before anyone mentions starch.
A particle test without a bunk map is a number without a cow.
Sources
- Penn State Particle Separator — Penn State Extension