Grass based Dairying

All about harvesting high quality forage

Grass based dairying at MU Southwest Center, MT. Vernon Less stressful way of

life Environmentally

compatitable Less health problems

with cows. Lower feed costs/

reduced milk yield

Intensive Managed Grazing

“If you are not dairying for profit we wish you well with your hobby”.

Peter West, North Island (peat soil)

New Zealand style D-10 parabone parlor

Grazing Concept Let cows harvest high

quality forage Sward– 1 1/2-12 inches

tall Plant is vegetative Crude protein -16-24 % NE. lac. 0.65-0.74

MCal/lb.

Dairy feeding management Graze spring, summer,

fall Supplement with hay/

silage when no grass Feed concentrate in the

parlor ( 5-18 lbs/cow/day)

Cool Season Grasses

1. Perennial ryegrass 2.Orchardgrass 3.Small grains (wheat ,

rye) 4Kentucky bluegrass 5. Tall

fescue( endophyte+) 6 Endophyte friendly

fescue (Max Q) 7 Endophye free, soft

leaf fescue (Advance)

Perennial rye grass

Alfalfa

Warm Season Grasses

1.Pearl millet 2 Sorghum-sudan 3.Bermuda grass 4.Red River crab grass 5.Corn 6.Eastern gamagrass

Summer Forages

ryegrass crabgrass Sudan

Caucasian bluestem

Bermudaalfalfa

Other forages corn Pearl millet Tall

Fescue

RapeGrazed corn

Grazing management Management Intensive Grazing (MIG)

Dairy-- new paddock every 12 hours 35 paddocks Long rectangular pasture with electric cross

fences Water available at paddocks ( walk max 600-

800 feet) Shade available in summer?? Construct lanes to prevent mud holes

Portable Shade

þ

Manure and urine distribution, July 1997.

Urine = 2.22 ft diameter (3.87 sq ft or 0.36 sq m)Manure = 1.28 ft diameter (1.29 sq ft or 0.12 sq m)

July manureJuly urine 2July urine 1

Data from North Carolina

Reproductive Management Calve end February- April 1. 60-90 day window for breeding Breed AI/ bull Use synchronization programs Dry off all cows end of December (280 day

lactation) Entire herd dry for 2 months.

Financial management Land/cows/ fences/water Low cost milking parlor Own minimal equipment Strive to harvest 3 ½-5 ton high quality

forage/acre/year Less labor 100 cows provide living for family farm

1998 1999 2000 2001

Cow numbers 83 96 92 96

Total farm area (acres) 325 303 318 287

Dairy grazing area (acres) 122 90.8 99.3 150

Grain fed during year (lb/cow/day) 16.3 17.2 17.6

16

Hay fed during year (lb/cow/day) 9.4 12 11.2

12

Other forage fed during year (lb/cow/day) 1.2 1.2 2.4

0

Numbers of days grazed 245 239 235 221

Weight of cows (lb) 1,190 1,205 1219 1108

Age of cows (months) 52 57.7 55.2 57

Cull rate (percent) 20 20 18 20

Milk shipped per cow (lb) 14,022 13,660 13,682 12,187

Milkfat (percent) 3.66 3.63 3.74 3.94

Protein (percent) 3.21 3.27 3.22 3.30

Somatic cell count 334,480 335,250 369,986 374,083

Structure and basic production data of southwest Missouri pasture-based dairy farms

Acrobat DocumentAcrobat Document

A successful dairy business can be a good way of life