Post on 21-Dec-2015
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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