E4-Foragmg Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 19, 2003
*Huge Potential 9
(Continued from Page El)
York to learn about grazing
potential in the area.
“There is a huge potential
along the northeastern sea
board, and a lot more money
can be made,” John said of
the opportunities for produc
ing milk on grass-based sys
tems.
However, farmers interested
in grazing here need to make
sure they don’t lean too hard
on grazing models from other
countries such as Ireland or
New Zealand, warned the
Roches. The unique set of fac
tors involved in each location
call for different approaches.
“The key to profitable pas
ture systems is maximizing
production and utilization of
pasture that is, maximizing
the milk produced from pas
ture,” the Roches pointed out.
Tom Roche, Irish dairy
farmer, discusses graz
ing with a PFGC confer
ence participant.
“This is not the same as pro
ducing milk solely from pas
ture.
“The most profitable sys
tem will probably combine
high stocking rates with pur-
<HARPI>
chased feeds and will have
moderate-yielding cows which
calve seasonally. If Ireland
wasn’t limited by quota and if
New Zealand wasn’t limited
by milk price and grain price,
this is probably the system
they would use.”
According to the Roches,
however, these systems that
rely heavily or almost entirely
on grass might not be most
appropriate in the U.S. where
supplementary feeds are read
ily available and milk quotas
do not exist.
“All systems have their
limitations, and it is for this
reason that each system must
be assessed within the context
it is being used and the posi
tive attributes can then be ex
tended to other systems,” they
noted.
The Roches outlined key
areas where they believe
Northeast dairy farmers can
improving grazing profitabili
ty. These include
CARLISLE FARM
SERVICE
260 York Road
717-243-4419
ALLEN HOOVER
REPAIR
RR 1, Box 227
570-966-3821
ECKROTH
EQUIPMENT
4910 Kemsville Road
610-366-2095
• applying adequate nitro
gen and other fertilizers to
grasslands;
• offering supplements dur
ing periods of grass deficit;
• considering buying grain
supplements rather than pro
ducing this may be more
cost-effective;
• developing a simple feed
ing system, particularly for
providing energy in the diet of
the milking cows;
• avoiding unnecessary cap
ital costs; and
• researching appropriate
pasture management strate
gies.
“Don’t believe confinement
system operators or feed mer
chants when they tell you that
pasture is a poor quality, un
balanced feed and that you
therefore need to complement
it,” John said. “Pasture will
not result in the same milk
yields as high-input systems
becasue of the difference in
dry matter intake and energy
CHAMBERSBURG
FARM SERVICE
975 S. Main St.
717-264-3533
ILLA]
ABC GROFF,
INC.
110 S. Railroad Ave,
717-354-4191
LEBANON VALLEY
IMPLEMENT
700 East Linden St
717-866-7518
PA
FORKS EQUIPMENT,
INC.
4404 Glover Rd.
610-252-8828
SMITH’S FARM
EQUIPMENT
30 Acker Rd.
717-567-3562
[ILOH. N.
FARM RITE,
INC.
122 Old Cohansey Rd.
856-451-1368
“There’s a lot more
money to be made.”
John Roche, dairy nutri
tion scientist with Dexcel
New Zealand speaks at
the PFGC conference.
expended in grazing and
walking.
“However, high quality
spring pasture is every bit as
nutritious as a TMR and only
a fraction of the cost.”
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KLINGEI
STANLEY’S
FARM SERVICE
RD #1 Box 46, Off Rt. 125
570-648-2088
ECKROTH BROS.
FARM EQUIPMENT
Rt. 443 & 895
570-943-2131
OW
PA
OL