For organic dairy, no grain—no problem

Amos Nolt relies on top forages, barley baleage and chicken manure

Shiloh, Ohio — Try, if you will, to poke holes in this formula for an organic, grazing-based dairy in the eastern Corn Belt:

1. Feed the dairy herd pasture, dry hay and (in a dry year) baleage for five to six months per year. Calves are the only animals getting grain during this time.

2. Grow no corn, buy no corn, feed no corn to milking animals. Invest nothing in corn-specific equipment or infrastructure. Continue reading “For organic dairy, no grain—no problem”

June 1, 2007April 18, 2020

Organic needs to do what people think we’re doing

By Jim Munsch — There is an ongoing struggle within organic dairy about the direction of the industry’s production and business models. The debate seems to center on whether or not the details of systems to produce milk should be strongly influenced by customers.

Grazing is central to the struggle. All advertising, packaging and commentary from organic milk marketers show cows contentedly munching grass on pasture, even though not all organic milk comes from farms where grazing is important to the production system. Continue reading “Organic needs to do what people think we’re doing”

May 1, 2007April 18, 2020

Tips for getting cows bred for a tight window

By Dan and Ruth Vosberg, South Wayne, Wisconsin — If the only information you’ve heard about dairy farming the last few years came from mainstream farm publications, you’d think that all dairy farmers need estrus synchronization hormones to get their cows bred. Indeed, one of these magazines recently highlighted some of the top reproduction herds in the country. All but one farm used hormones, and those that used them stated that these products were key to their success.

Also, in looking at the average pregnancy rates published, you’d believe that it’s impossible to have a seasonally bred herd. A 60% first-service conception rate (which I consider necessary to be seasonal) isn’t even considered an attainable goal for most dairy farmers. Continue reading “Tips for getting cows bred for a tight window”

May 1, 2007April 18, 2020

Gain without grain: options for finishing lambs

By Janet McNally, Hinckley, Minnesota — In the previous two issues I examined late-gestation ewe rations: and ewe lactation/early-lamb growth rations using conventional hay/grain and pasture-based solutions. In late gestation, the relatively little grain required had only a small impact on total feed cost. Pasture presented a much larger cost-saving advantage over grain/hay during the lactation phase. This month, let’s look at finishing, taking the lamb from weaning at 120 days of age (75 lbs.) through to 110-120 lbs.

As the accompanying table (made from available data and personal experience) indicates, there is potential for substantial savings with pasture finishing. Yet this stage and the relative benefits of alternative rations are difficult to analyze, because the number of possible options is so great. Continue reading “Gain without grain: options for finishing lambs”

May 1, 2007April 18, 2020

Too much ‘cheaper,’ not enough ‘better’

By Jim Van Der Pol, Kerkhoven, Minnesota — I have been thinking about the poster the Kerkhoven blacksmith had hanging on the wall a half century ago, when I would follow Dad everywhere. This was in the mid-’50s, when blacksmiths were still called that, in part because they were not at that time so very far away from shoeing horses. But the horse I noticed was the one on the poster. It was just a line drawing of a horse with its tail raised and a steaming pile of fresh manure on the ground below. Below was inscribed this thought:

Buying quality is like buying oats.

You can buy fresh clean oats for which you will need to pay a fair price.

Or you can buy oats that have already been through the horse.

That comes a lot cheaper. Continue reading “Too much ‘cheaper,’ not enough ‘better’”

April 1, 2007April 18, 2020

Advisors: flush season grazing plan

This month’s question: What’s your flush-season grazing plan?

Jon Bansen– The period of spring flush is probably by far the most important to manage correctly for a successful grazing season.

An error we made the first couple of years grazing was always chasing over-mature grass. This led to a loss in milk production and a slowing of grass growth after the spring flush due to the plants getting too far into their reproductive stage (setting seed). This slowdown led to more milk loss after the flush. Continue reading “Advisors: flush season grazing plan”