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Observations on management-intensive grazing in pasture-based dairy production systems
Steve Washburn, North Carolina State University
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• 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
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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
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Changing US Dairy Industry:
• Fewer farms
• More cows per farm
• More milk per cow
• Regional production surpluses/deficits
• Urban sprawl – regulations – land prices
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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).
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“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
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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.
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“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:
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:
9. Pasture is primary forage with cows and heifers doing most of the harvest.
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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.
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Normande and cross in NY
Norwegian Red cross in NC
Montebeliarde
8. Crossbreeding is generally the rule rather than the exception.
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You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:7. Calves are group fed and started on pasture at an early age.
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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
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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
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You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if:4. Investing in things that rust is not your thing.
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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
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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
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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:
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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?
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Research and educational needs for:
Pasture-based dairy farms
Organic dairy farms
Long-term holistic, systems approaches
Do you see what I see?
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To be continued …
… if there is funding
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[email protected]. State University 919-515-7726
www.cefs.ncsu.edu
…and with luck the rains will be timely and the pastures will grow