Although there are many good reasons to feed TMR to your cows, there could be some disadvantages to consider before switching to TMR feeding.

Disadvantages of TMR Feeding:

• All the cows in the group get same ration. It is not possible to feed individual cow based on her needs.

• A mixer is needed to correctly feed a TMR and it can be costly.

• Dry forages such as hay or straw do not mix well in some TMR mixers.

• Extra equipment may be needed to chop the hay or straw before adding to the mixer.

• Cows need to be group properly before feeding.

• The cows that are in the same group should have similar milk production and body weight.

• If the cows have a big difference in milk production or body weight, they may be over or underfed which can cause milk production loses.

• Ensure you have at least 3 lactating cow groups for effective TMR feeding.

• If TMR is not formulated properly, all the cows will be getting insufficient nutrients.