Does Grazing Have A Place With Larger Herds? Lawrence D. Muller throughout the world. I have been fortunate to have Penn State University the opportunity to travel in several countries during A few years ago, I made a presentation on the poten- the last 12 years. These countries range from 100 per tial use of pasture in larger dairy herds. Recently, Tim cent pasture systems in New Zealand and Ireland, to Beck, the Capitol Region Dairy Team Coordinator, perhaps 30 percent in South Africa, wrote an article entitled “Grazing is Good.” In New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa, the Reflecting on this earlier presentation and Tim’s dairy farms that are grazing have substantially larger recent article stimulated a “relook” at grazing and herds than more pasture-based systems in the U.S. raised the question: “does grazing have a place with The availability of relative inexpensive land in Argen larger dairy herds?” People have different answers to tina and South Africa makes this possible, this question, as they do on most subjects. A few years ago, I stayed with a New Zealand dairy First, let us briefly take a historical look at the farmer who had 1,500 Jerseys and also visited several “grazing movement.” Dairy producers in Pennsylva- other large herds. It is interesting that in recent years, nia and in the United States have been experiencing a this gentleman and his fellow New Zealanders have severe cost-price squeeze since the early 1980 s because “discovered” corn silage as a feedstuff to compliment of relatively stable milk prices and increasing input the pasture-based system. The growth of dairy herds costs. to 1,500 to 4,000 cows is now common in the South Island of New Zealand. In South Africa this past winter, I had the enjoyable opportunity of participating in a three-day manage ment program attended by 300 progressive large dairy herd owners (with more than 300 cows). Most were using a pasture-based system with about nine to 10 months of grazing. We visited a young, progressive dairy farmer who had 3,500 cows. Most of the dairy managers who attended this meeting have adopted a partial total mixed ration (pTMR) feeding system (partial because pasture is not part of the TMR) to compliment the pasture. Corn silage has become a major forage for the pTMR. In Argentina, dairymen have the climate to gra£e nine to 10 months per year, and many use a pTMR to compliment the pasture. Herd size is often 100 to 200 cows with larger herds ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 Well-managed grazing systems offer a management alternative to reduce the costs during the typical six- to seven-month pasture season in the Northeast, and is a major reason for the increased use of pasture as a forage for dairy cows. The re-adoption of pasture based systems in the late 1980 s was initially with herds of 35 to 70 cows. About 15 percent of Pennsylvania dairy farms are using a pasture-based grazing system. A recent Wisconsin study reported 23 percent of the dairy producers in Wisconsin are using a pasture based system. Economics And Sustainability Dairy farmers have survived shrinking profit mar gins during these 20 years basically by increasing milk production per cow, increasing herd sizes, and becom ing better managers. Change is occurring at a rapid rate in the dairy industry and in all of agriculture. Although many excellent articles and presentations have provided insight and guidance for future success, no one person has the wisdom to accurately predict what will be needed to be competitive in the future. Excellent management, high profitability, and envi ronment sustainability will likely be important parts of future successful dairy farms. Many dairy producers are at critical crossroads. Some of the future decisions to be competitive include expanding the business, specializing in high profit cen ters, and adopting strategies to reduce costs such as grazing, or perhaps all of the above. About five percent of dairy farms make the decision to exit dairying each year. Outside U.S. Borders In travels to other countries, one usually gains a dif ferent perspective and appreciation for our dairy in dustry and agriculture as a whole. Grazing is still the major dairy production system in many countries cows. During a recent visit, we toured a progressive, highly profitable 4,000 cow grazing farm in Uruguay. The owner/manager of this farm would be successful managing a dairy farm in the U.S. and in most other countries. Change and growth is occurring in the dairy indus try in these countries, similar to that occurring In the U.S. with confinement operations. In these countries, as in the U.S., many dairy producers are at a cross roads regarding the growth of the business, specializa tion, and adoption of new management strategies to remain a competitive business. Interestingly, the adop tion of management strategies from the U.S., such as the use of pTMR and the increasing use of corn silage with a pasture-based system, has enhanced the profi tability of the dairy industry in these countries. Profitability Of U.S Grazing Systems As discussed, “readoption” of pasture-based sys tems in the 1980 s was stimulated by relatively stable
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