Grazing Systems for Dairy

Forages which are grazed can provide anywhere from 25 to 100% of the forage consumed by growing dairy heifers, dry cows or the milking herd. In this paper, I would like to specifically deal with devising a grazing program for a dairy lactating or milking herd. Lactating dairy cows are a “high performance animal” and, as such, any decreases in the availability or quality of forage can quickly decrease milk production. Thus, the goal when designing a grazing system is to provide adequate quantities of high-quality, vegetative forage to prevent decreases in performance. These decreases in performance occur in all species of livestock but one difference with dairy cows is that milk production is monitored twice daily. Thus, dairy farmers can see what has or has not worked more quickly than other livestock species where performance is not measured as often

Interpreting Forage Quality Test Reports

Forages are the foundation for building diets for beef and dairy cattle, horses, sheep and goats. The quality of these forages directly impacts forage intake, animal performance, and, ultimately, the profitability to their owners. As the quality of forages decline, consumption of that forage decreases and the amount of grain or byproducts which must be fed increases. The cost for a unit of performance increases and/or the animal can not perform (i.e. milk or gain) to the optimum level thus lowering profitability to the animal owner. These relationships are especially true with young and high performance ruminants, such as high producing dairy cows and stocker beef cattle with expected high rates of gain. To determine the quality of forage and its best use, a representative sample of the forage needs to be analyzed for its nutrient content by a forage testing laboratory. These results then can be used to not only market this forage but also to balance rations for livestock for optimum and profitable performance

Role in Alfalfa in Livestock Feeding Programs in Kentucky

Alfalfa, the Queen of the Forage Crops , is a highly versatile forage crop which can be grazed directly by livestock or harvested as hay or silage. With the development of new alfalfa varieties, increased pest and weed control, and increased demand from livestock owners, the amount of alfalfa fed to livestock will increase. As with any forage crop, proper harvest and feeding management is necessary to reap the benefits

Alfalfa for Dairy Cattle

Alfalfa is known as the queen of the forage crops and for good reasons. Alfalfa is an excellent forage for dairy cattle because it provides nutrients needed by dairy cows in a package which is highly digestible and cost effective. Alfalfa can be grazed directly by cattle or harvested as hay, haylage, or batage. Dairy farmers will purchase locally-grown hay if it is high quality (RFV greater than 150). When marketing cash hay one needs to understand that the quality of alfalfa greatly impacts milk production and economics of a dairy operation. This impact is felt even when as little as 5 lbs of alfalfa hay is fed per dairy cow

Why Dairy Farmers Need and Want High Quality Alfalfa Hay: Quality of Hay = Performance and Profitability

Why do dairy farmers want high quality forages, including alfalfa hay, to feed to their milking herds? Feeding high-quality forages results in greater feed intake and as a result, dairy cows produce more milk, and they often times can produce this milk more economically. With advancing stage of plant maturity, fiber digestibility and protein content of the alfalfa plant decreases while the amount of fiber increases. Consequently, less energy is available to the cow when it consumes more mature alfalfa. Energy is the nutrient that most often limits performance in dairy or beef cattle - not protein. The take home message here is that the quality of alfalfa hay fed to dairy cows governs performance and profitability

Mineral and Protein Blocks and Tubs for Beef Cattle

Nutritional supplement blocks and tubs are convenient for beef producers, require no investment in feeding troughs and require a limited area for storing. One of the most attractive features is that they lower the labor needed to supplement livestock. Many producers use these products to provide supplemental nutrients to cattle consuming low-quality forages or as a mechanism to promote a more consistent intake of minerals. These products are also attractive to producers who have off-farm employment as they eliminate the need for daily feeding. Yet, they often come at a greater cost per unit of nutrient than more conventional feedstuffs. Since there are differences in the blocks and tubs being marketed today, familiarity with how to compare products and determine their differences will enable producers to decide which product best fits their needs

A Fresh Cow Health Monitoring System

Calving causes cows to endure many physiological changes that require good nutrition, time, and adequate rest for recovery. Upon calving, cows are introduced into the lactating herd, where they consume high amounts of a new ration and have to adapt to a new feeding and milking routine. Lactation requires more support from the diet than pregnancy and weight maintenance, particularly in fresh cows calving in with a negative energy balance. Additionally, the social hierarchy within the herd is re-established every time a new cow enters the group, which can cause stress, especially for timid and weak cows. For these reasons, cows become immunosuppressed, making them more susceptible to illness. Although many cows seem to adapt quickly and adequately to this new period, underlying issues are often present that are sometimes difficult to notice

Effects of Housing System on Dairy Heifer Replacement Cost from Birth to Calving: Evaluating Costs of Confinement, Dry-Lot, and Pasture-Based Systems and Their Impact on Total Rearing Investment

Replacement heifer rearing is critical for the future of dairy operations, to improve genetic merit and maintain herd size. A myriad of options exist on how to manage, feed, and ultimately raise replacement heifers. Pasture is perceived to offer optimal welfare and an economical housing system for replacement animals, but confinement systems are gaining popularity. This study investigates the costs associated with replacement heifer management decisions from birth to calving, considering the factors of housing systems, labor, feed, and health. The objective of this study was to develop an economic model to determine the cost of raising a replacement heifer managed in confinement, dry-lot, and pasture-based scenarios post-weaning. We accounted for variation in feed, labor, and health inputs and quantified the impact of these individual management decisions. An economic simulation with 10,000 iterations were completed for each situation using @Risk and PrecisionTree add-ons (Palisade Corporation, Ithaca, NY) where health incidence, commodity prices, and management variables were made stochastic. Published literature or sample farm data created parameters used in Pert distributions. Costs and biological responses were reflective of published surveys, literature, and market conditions. Management decision inputs had 3 main factors: housing type, ration composition, and labor utilization. Housing systems were calculated separately for confinement, dry-lot, and pasture scenarios. The mean total cost (min, max) to raise a replacement heifer from birth to calving, assuming the same pre-weaning strategy of group housing with an automatic calf feeder, was found to be $1,919.02 ($1,777.25, $2,100.57),$1,593.57 ($1,490.30,$1,737.26), and $1,335.84 ($1,266.69, $1,423.94) for confinement, dry-lot, and pasture, respectively. Total housing cost per replacement heifer was$423.05, $117.96, and$207.96 for confinement, dry-lot, and pasture management systems, respectively. When compared to total cost, housing contributed 21% for confinement, 7% for dry-lot, and 15% for pasture. Upon analysis of all scenarios, utilizing pasture to raise heifers resulted in a lower overall cost when compared to confinement housing options. Percentage breakdowns of feed, labor, housing, and fixed and variable costs provided more information on efficiency rather than total cost, which makes each situation different in relation to on-farm cost. This cost analysis is critical to assisting farms in making decisions in the utilization of their resources for replacement dairy heifers

Master Grazer: Improving Grazing Management in Kentucky

The Master Grazer Educational Program is the result of funding provided by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board to educate producers on better utilization of grazing lands to improve livestock production and the profitability of the State. County agriculture and natural resource agents, extension specialists, industry contacts and producers work together to make this program a success. The Master Grazer Educational Program began in 2006 as evening lecture sessions taking place in local extension offices. In 2008, the program grew with the addition of a field session that showcased a farm with successful grazing practices, a farm with underdeveloped grazing practices, and a final session for participants to develop their own grazing system. In 2010, the program was modified into the Applied Master Grazer Program. This program placed more emphasis on the importance of the county agriculture. The agents decided which topics would be covered and administered many areas of the program. The program now consists of a minimum of two evening field sessions in which a farm is showcased for a particular topic, as well as one impact session in which participants can interact and contribute to a producer forum. For the purpose of this article, reporting will be focused on the last two years of the Master Grazer Program. The past few years, events such as Grazing Schools, the Advanced Grazing Schools, and Pasture Walks have been held to discuss timely topics of forage and livestock management. Also, the Master Grazer Program has a newsletter, website, and DVD series