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

1. Observations on management-intensive grazing in pasture-based dairy production systems Steve Washburn, North Carolina State University

2. Acknowledgements: Southern Region SARE Dairy Grants • 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.”

3. 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

4. Changing US Dairy Industry: • Fewer farms • More cows per farm • More milk per cow • Regional production surpluses/deficits • Urban sprawl – regulations – land prices

5. 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).

6. “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

7. 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.

8. Institutional challenges: “I believe that there can be 100 New Pasture-based Dairy Farms in Eastern North Carolina in 10 Years”S. P. Washburn, 1995 “What kind of weed have you been smoking out there on those pastures” From a dairy colleague about 2 seconds later

9. 1999 Survey of Grazing Herds by State Surveyed farms: VT = 214; PA = 874; VA = 702: NC = 284 Parsons et al; J. Dairy Sci. 2004

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

13. You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if: 9. Pasture is primary forage with cows and heifers doing most of the harvest.

14. You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if: 8. Crossbreeding is generally the rule rather than the exception. MO NC Jersey-Holstein crosses most common -- data from New Zealand; studies in US ARGENTINA

15. 8.Crossbreedingis generally the rule rather than the exception. Norwegian Red cross in NC Normande and cross in NY Montebeliarde

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

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

18. You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if: 5. The cows take care of 85% of the manure spreading. Active dung beetles and other organisms White et al, 2001

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

20. 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

21. 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

22. … and the # 1 reason … You might be a seasonal pasture-based dairy farmer if: • You talk more about lifestyle, return on investment, and net farm profit than you do about milk production and milk prices.

23. Do you see what I see? Larger confinement herds Pasture-based dairy farms can compete More Crossbreeding Niche Markets Need for more goal-setting, open sharing of ideas and data

24. Do you see what I see? Research and educational needs for: Pasture-based dairy farms Organic dairy farms Long-term holistic, systems approaches

25. To be continued … … if there is funding

26. …and with luck the rains will be timely and the pastures will grow Steve_Washburn@ncsu.edu N.C. State University 919-515-7726 www.cefs.ncsu.edu