TMR Delivery and Variability on the Farm

Total mixed rations (TMRs) seem to be the feeding method of choice, at least for nongrazing situations (Spain et al., 1993). Despite the need for an extra piece of equipment (maybe more), the benefits in animal performance have been shown to far outweigh the costs of implementing the concept. The principles of TMRs caught on a few decades ago, but developments in the implementation and preparation are continuing. There are many configurations of equipment and layouts which accomplish TMR delivery. Many producers are beyond the question of "should I use TMR?"; the question now is "what is the optimal way to deliver my TMR?".