Observations on management-intensive grazing in pasture-based dairy production systems

Steve Washburn, North Carolina State University

• 1994 $180,497: “Regional Center for Sustainable Dairy Farming.”

• 1998 $52,578: “Multi Disciplinary Training on Pasture-Based Dairy Systems - A Sustainable Alternative for the Region.”

• 2003 $226,903: “An evaluation of pasture-based dairy systems to optimize profitability, environmental impact, animal health, and milk quality.”

• 2006 $14,952. “Opportunities for pasture-raised Jersey beef in the Southeast. USDA Southern Region SARE Program – On-Farm Research”

• 2008 $97,456. “Organic Dairy Training Conferences and Educational Materials for Professionals.”

Acknowledgements: Southern Region SARE Dairy Grants

Objective:•The intent of this presentation is to examine concepts and challenges

associated with pasture-based dairy systems.

•Some principles may be applicable to other dairy production systems.

“Kiwi Dairy” in Missouri

Changing US Dairy Industry:

• Fewer farms

• More cows per farm

• More milk per cow

• Regional production surpluses/deficits

• Urban sprawl – regulations – land prices

Changing US Dairy Industry:

• Milk Demand by 2010: expected to be ~ 190 billion pounds

• At 25,000 pounds per cow, only 7.6 million cows needed (1.61 million fewer than 2000).

• At 5,000 cows per herd, only 1,520 dairy farms needed (81,480 fewer than 2000).

“Don’t it always go to showYou never know what you’ve got ‘til it’s goneThey paved paradise,They put up a parking lot.” Written by Joni Mitchell circa 1969; recorded by Bob Dylan and others.

Eoin, Eimeer, Shannon, and Kale Brosnan on family dairy farm in Ireland in 1998

Vulnerability? • Concentration of nutrients on large farms.

• Concerns about odors and air quality.

• Growing milk deficit in Southern areas of country both for commercial milk and organic milk.

• Long-term dependence of a food and agricultural system on fossil fuels is risky.

• Decreased supply of water in major aquifers in various regions of the country.

• Loss of genetic diversity with over 90% Holsteins and increased inbreeding.

“What kind of weed have you been smoking out there on those pastures”

From a dairy colleague about 2 seconds later

“I believe that there can be 100 New Pasture-based Dairy Farms in Eastern North Carolina in 10 Years”

S. P. Washburn, 1995

Institutional challenges:

1999 Survey of Grazing Herds by State

30.3

39.4

30.3

12.5

45.2

42.3

10.7

39.6

49.6

10.9

35.8

53.3

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

VT PA VA NC

ConfinementNon - Int. GrazingInt. Grazing

Surveyed farms: VT = 214; PA = 874; VA = 702: NC = 284Parsons et al; J. Dairy Sci. 2004

Divergent Systems

• Mostly Holsteins in Confinement• Total Mixed Rations• High Production

• Selected primarily for fluid milk production • Some emphasis on composition in some markets • Limited selection on type traits. • Cow fertility ignored in selection programs.

Divergent Systems

• Pasture-based Herds: • Pasture plus limited supplements• Emphasis on return per unit of land rather than

per cow

• Significant presence of Jersey and crosses of Jersey with Holstein as well as other breed combinations

• Moderate-sized cows

• Emphasis on fertility in seasonal breeding

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:

10. All your cows are bred to calve in one or two compact seasons.

Typically seasonal dairy graziers try to have 80 to 90 % cows bred to calve in 9 to 12 weeks by using a combination of AI and natural service

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:

9. Pasture is primary forage with cows and heifers doing most of the harvest.

MO

NC

ARGENTINA

Jersey-Holstein crosses most common --data from New Zealand;studies in US

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:8. Crossbreeding is generally the rule rather than the exception.

Normande and cross in NY

Norwegian Red cross in NC

Montebeliarde

8. Crossbreeding is generally the rule rather than the exception.

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:7. Calves are group fed and started on pasture at an early age.

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:6. You think that cows should be milked in no more than 2.5 hours and labor efficiency is important.

“Swing 40” for 500-cow herd with 1 manager and 2 employees - Missouri.

PA organic dairy

Paddock85%

Feed Area9% Parlor Areas

5%

Lanes1%

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:5. The cows take care of 85% of the manure spreading.

#SË

Ë

#S WaterË Gate

Fence10-m arcsUrine 2Urine 1Manure

10 0 10 20 Me ters

N

FIGURE 7. Manure and urine dis tribution, July, August, September, December 1997; February and April 1998.

White et al, 2001

Active dung beetles and other organisms

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:4. Investing in things that rust is not your thing.

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:3. You prefer “tree stalls” to freestalls” for cow comfort and you do not have the veterinarian on speed dial.

No hoof trimming or displaced abomasums in over 8 years

You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:2. You are routinely in touch with dairy graziers from near and far.

www.prograsstinators.com

1. You talk more about lifestyle, return on investment, and net farm profit than you do about milk production and milk prices.

… and the # 1 reason …You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:

Larger confinement herds

Pasture-based dairy farms can compete

More Crossbreeding

Niche Markets

Need for more goal-setting, open sharing of ideas and data

Do you see what I see?

Research and educational needs for:

Pasture-based dairy farms

Organic dairy farms

Long-term holistic, systems approaches

Do you see what I see?

To be continued …

… if there is funding

Steve_Washburn@ncsu.eduN.C. State University 919-515-7726

www.cefs.ncsu.edu

…and with luck the rains will be timely and the pastures will grow