Dairy Grazing Intensive

Karen HoffmanResource Conservationist – Animal Science

Norwich, NY

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Forages

• Foundation upon which nutritionally sound and economical dairy rations are built

• High quality forage = less grain & better income over feed cost

• Forage quality impacts intake, milk production and animal health

• Are the primary source of “effective” fiber

ForagesPhysical Fiber

Rumen DegradableProtein

NFC feedsGrains Byproducts

Minerals and Vitamins

“Bypass”Protein

FatSuppl.

FeedAdditives

The Feed Pyramid (Rick Lundquist, 1995)

Use the Feed Pyramid to think about how rations should be formulated and cows fed. A basic ration with high quality forages (bottom three sections of pyramid) should support up to 75 lbs (or more) of milk per day. Fats, bypass proteins and feed additives are needed by higher producing cows and should top off the base ration

What Does Your Forage Customer Want?

• A consistent supply of:– High quality, high digestibility– “effective” physical fiber– Palatable

What Limits the Amount of Forage a Cow Can Consume?

• Fiber level• Lignin content• Digestibility (rate of digestion)• Time in the rumen (rate of passage)• Particle size (rate of digestion)• Inventory (how much we have)• Pasture availability

Effect of Maturity on Forage Quality

ENERGY

AND

PROTEIN

Early Maturity Late Maturity

Energy

and

Protein

NDF(Fiber)

Lignin

NDF and Intake

• Lower NDF = higher intake• NDF from forage– Low Quality Stored• 0.8-1.0% of body weight

– High Quality Stored• 1.0-1.2% of body weight

NDF and Intake

• Forage NDF Intake– Pasture + Grain

• Up to 1.4% of body weight• Total DMI up to 4% BW

– Pasture Only• Total DMI up to 3.25% BW• Milk production limit

Pasture is the most digestible forage and has highest intake potential

Why Maximize Intake From Pasture?

• Pasture is cheapest feed– Keeps costs low!

• Highly digestible– Allows cow to eat more

• High intakes– Allows cow to milk more– 1 lb or kg extra DMI = 2 lb or kg extra milk

Estimating Intake

• Very difficult to measure directly• Depends on plant and animal factors– Biting rate, grazing time, and intake/bite– Plant density, maturity, and species– Supplemental feeds in barn• Substitution effect

Supplementation In The Barn

• Substitution effects– Too much stored forage• pound for pound

– Too much TMR• > pound for pound

– Too much protein• Post-ingestive feedback

Anything that interferes with this process will reduce DMI and thus

animal performance

Bite Rate Bite Size

Time Spent Grazing

Biting Rate/Minute

50 – 70 bites per minute is common93 bites per minute has been observed! (28,000 – 35,000 bites per day)

Biting Rate/Minute

Fastest rate when first enter a new paddock – why?Slow down with time – why?Too long in same paddock – what happens?

Amount Of Feed Taken/Bite

.57 of a gram (.02 ounce) per bite or less2.0 to 4.0% of body weight/d in dry matter

Pasture Yield Is A Function Of Height Plus Density

Height

Density

8 inches (20 cm)

6 inches (15 cm)

900 lbs DM/Ac (1000 kg DM/ha)

1600 lbs DM/Ac (1800 kg DM/ha)

New paddock after every milking = higher intake/bite!

Something to think about….• The 1st time in a paddock, cows eat in the dining

room…

• The 2nd time in a paddock, cows eat in the bedroom…

• The 3rd time in a paddock, cows eat in the bathroom…

If YOU don’t eat in the bedroom or bathroom, WHY do you make your cows do it??

Slide 23

Forage Quality

• Graze at 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm)– Residual 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm)

• Graze at 10 to 16 inches (25 to 40 cm)– Residual 4 inches (10 cm) or more

Slide 24

Which recommendation should you believe?

Typical Forage Quality15-25 cm

NUTRIENT PASTURE HAY HAYLAGE

Dry Matter % 20-25 88-92 35-40

Crude Protein % 20-30 8-14 14-20

Net EnergyG, Mcal/lb .50-.60 .40-.50 .45-.55

ADF%* 20-30 30-40 30-40

NDF%** 40-50 55-65 45-55

* Acid Detergent Fiber – cellulose + lignin

**Neutral Detergent Fiber – hemicellulose + cellulose + lignin

Nutrient Profile Of 9 Inch Tall Orchardgrass

TOP 27.4 38.5 .79

MIDDLE 22.9 44.6 .76

BOTTOM 14.0 60.0 .67

CP NDF NEL

3”

3”

3”

Grazing animals eat in thirds…..

Pasture Samples• Must represent what cows eat– No “random samples”

• Cows are not random grazers

• Sample paddock being grazed– “But they’ll eat it before results are back!”– Are results reliable?– Yes! If all paddocks managed same, quality will be similar

Forage Analysis• How to take a pasture sample– Randomly “graze” paddock• Sample multiple places, species, heights

– Pack in plastic bag & freeze– Mail

• Wet chemistry for minerals– More accurate results vs. NIR

Protein

• Protein from pasture > animal req’ts– 20 – 30% crude protein from pasture– Dairy cow needs 16-17%

• Protein from pasture > rumen bacteria req’ts– 70 – 80% degradability

• Feeding energy supplements can help to dilute protein

How Excess Degradable Protein Wastes Energy

Degradable Protein

Used by microbes Not used protein + carbohydrates converted to ammonia microbial protein - energy used by cows ammonia into blood

ammonia in blood to

liver energy

urea excretion liver converts to urea

Supplementation• Dilute the pasture protein• Feed a little dry hay• Lower protein than pasture• Substitutes for pasture intake

• Use the pasture protein• Feed a little ground corn• Provides non-fiber carbs (NFC)• Rumen bugs use to make more bugs

Does it Make Sense to Feed Some Grain to Cows on Pasture?

• High quality pasture is high in protein, high in rumen degradable protein and low in nonfiber carbohydrates

• The rumen has excess ammonia that is excreted via the urine

Feed Costs

From NODPA Newsletter, January 2013

Does No Grain = No Cost?

• Lower milk production• Body condition challenge• Breeding efficiency

Need to consider “unseen” and longer term costs

Look at cow genetics, breed, body size, eating history before deciding to try no grain

No grain train wrecks have been known to happen

How Much Milk Can We Expect if We Fed Only Pasture and No Grain?

A B C D E0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Results from recent research trials

Reis & Combs – 2000 - Wisconsin

• Mixed pasture (50:50 grass:legume)• 19% CP, 40% NDF pasture• Stocking rate = 1.3 cows/acre• Front fence moved 2x• 3 treatments (0, 11 and 22 lbs. grain)• Grain mix was 90% ground corn, 5.5% SBM

and 3% molasses

Dry Matter Intake, lbs/day

Milk Production, lbs/day

Milk Income and Returns, $/cow/day

0 11 2212

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Milk, $IOPFC, $

Milk price $35 and feed price $700/ton

Small Changes = Big Difference

Milk price $35 and feed price $700 or $600/ton

0 11 2212

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Milk, $IOPFC, $700IOPFC, $600

Point of Diminishing Returns

• Every farm will be different• L. Muller – Penn State reviewed data from

research studies– Range was 0.6 to 1.45 lbs milk/lb grain– Average was about 1 lb milk/lb of grain fed– This ratio decreases as more grain is fed

What is the cost of 1 lb of grain vs. value of 1 lb of milk?

Grain vs. Molasses

• Grain contributes sugar and starch to ration• Molasses contributes multiple sugars, no

starch• Equivalent in metabolizable energy for cows– 3 studies – 2 on-farm and 1 laboratory

• Difference in how energy used in rumen• Base decision on price

Minerals

Plant Minerals• Most available form for animals

• Fresh forage vs. fermented• Depends on soil fertility • Depends on soil health• Depends on plant and root structure

Immune System & Minerals• Major minerals

• Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, Cl, S• Acid-base balance, osmotic pressure, membrane electrical

potential and nervous transmission• Trace minerals

• Co, Cu, I, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se,Zn• Components of enzymes and enzyme co-factors,

hormones

These systems are inter-related in support of the immune system – need to consider holistic viewpoint

Vitamins• A, D, E • Function in metabolic pathways, immune cell

function, gene regulation• Grazing Season

• Vitamin A – precursor is ß-carotene• Vitamin D – sunlight & grass• May decrease slightly in diet

Kelp• Approved for organics• Source of minerals, vitamins, anti-oxidants• High iodine content

• Not problematic

• Limited research• Boosts immune system• Reduces pinkeye

“Profitable”

• Profitability is different on every farm• Dependent on fixed expenses– Debt, insurance, utilities, labor

• Dependent on variable expenses– Feed and fertilizer purchases, veterinary

• What is a “comfortable” family living expense?• Management strategies not one-size-fits-all for

optimum profit

Economic Studies

• Bob Parsons – UVM - 2012 report– Highest profit herds had more milk per cow– Highest profit herds spend most on grain– Two no-grain herds moderately profitable

Economic Studies

• Tom Kriegl – U. Wis. – 12 year financials– Compared confinement, grazing, organic– Feed cost/cwt sold highest for organic, lowest for

grazing– Feed costs of 41% of income on organic dairies

• Vs. 44.18% grazing and 47.32% confinement– NFIFO/cwt $1.03 more than grazing and $3.21 more

than confinement– No data on how much grain fed vs. milk production

The Bottom Line

• Manage pasture for high quality forage – High forage intake = more milk at lower cost

• Milk price to feed cost ratio critical– Small amount of grain

• Push pencil on:– Milk production– Income vs. expenses

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