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