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How Do We Manage our Cowsat Bella Farm?

• Natural Feeding

• Permaculture Cow Genetics

• Seasonal Management

Right farm, right animals, right management

Spectrum of Animal Types versus Pasture Quality•Yaks are lowest nutrient need animals•Sheep can thrive on relatively poor pasture•Bulls and heifers have more moderate needs•Finishing beef requires good to excellent pasture•Lactating dairy cows need the absolute best

100% Grass-fed or Nothing!

Pasture Quality-Do you have Dairy Quality Pastures??

Legumes are the best indicator of pasture qualityRed Clover is the absolute best for dairy cows

Species diversity in our fields equals healthy cows

Mineralize our cows to mineralize our pastures, Not the other way around.

•Not all hay is created equal-•Buy the best quality hay•Alfalfa is ‘the best fodder’

50 pounds per cow per day, feeding excellent quality hayGets real expensive real fast!Number of days per year on hay will determine your profitabilityOur local ranchers average 150 days/year-We have gotten down to 60 days/year!

A small amount of alfalfa hay as a supplement can allow you to keep grazing for significantly longer into the fall and winter.

8 pounds per cow per day can extend your grazing season by several months!

The Breed Spectrum•On one end are the extreme dairy types, notably Jersey and Holstein.

•At the other end, the extreme beef types, like Simmental and Hereford

•The sweet spot is in the middle, “Dual Purpose” cows, such as

•Brown Swiss•Milking Shorthorn

•Ayrshire•Devons

Classic Jersey cow, way too skinny for holistic dairy farming

Dual purpose cows have the body reserves to handle the nutritional demands of permacultural management

Dexter cows, a specialty animal for special situations.

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Brown Swiss Cow and Bull formed the Foundation of our Biodynamic Dairy Herd

Vivian and Arthur, 2007

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An Ideal Dairy Cow- ‘Bootsie’

Permacultural Genetics

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Dairy Yield- 1000 gallons per cow, each year, just from grazing pasture.

Bull Beef- 200 pounds of beef from a yearling bull calf

3 Types of Cows to Buy-•Bottom Cows•Bred Heifer•Retiring Professionals

My Experience- The Story of Vivian and Sugaree

Managing our Cows in Harmony with the Seasons

Essential to Calve in May!

Beef Cows respond to different seasonal plan.

Calving in August makes sense for beef, not for dairy.

The year begins with breeding

Timely Conception is Essential for a Seasonal Dairy

Artificial Insemination

Not as fun or easy as it looks

Keeping a Bull-No joking matter

Every king needs a castle, and every bull needs a bullshed

Laying Hens integrate with and compliment dairy cows perfectly

Meat Hogs make Excellent Use of Seasonal Milk SurplusCow Manure is complete Pig Multi-VitaminJoel Salatin’s ‘Pigerator’ System in Hayshed is Great!

Abundant Cow Manure makes the Best Biodynamic

Compost.

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Market Garden Yields without Purchased Inputs

Fertile Soils in our Fruit Orchards

Produce quality comes from soil biology

The Farmer isThe Most ImportantAnimal on the Holistically Managed Farm

Seasonal Dairying gives the Farmer Quality Family Time in Winter

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Nurturing Life

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Masanobu Fukuoka — 'The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.'