coursera week 2 DAIRY PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

Welcome to the forages section of the Penn State dairy MOOC.
I'm Greg Roth, Professor of Agronomy at Penn State and
Department of Plant Sciences.
Forages are the non-grain crops that are fed to dairy cows.
And common dairy farm forages would be legumes like alfalfa and
clover, or grasses such as rye grass and orchard grass.
And others might be grain crops, like corn grown for silage or
small grains or sorghums harvested for forage.
Forages are critical on the dairy farm and they play multiple roles.
And it's really important that everyone on the farm understand the objectives of
forage management on the farm to achieve its success.
On a basic level, forages provide some or the entire ration for
the dairy animals on the farm.
But in reality, their role is a bit more complex.
Let's review a few of the important roles forages play on the dairy farm.
Having a good grasp of these helps us better understand the role of forages and
how we can manage them to achieve these goals.
A fundamental role of forages is to provide high quality,
healthy feed to keep animals healthy and maximize their performance.
Forages should not be too moldy or
harvested too late when the quality is reduced.
And dairy producers should be aware of these issues and
try to avoid them through careful management of their fields and machinery.
By managing the forages well and producing crops with high energy and protein levels,
we can often significantly reduce the need for other supplemental feeds.
And this will lead to another key role of forages, which is to minimize purchased
feed cost, which is an important financial indicator on many dairy farms.
On many farms, forages are combined in the ration with supplements or
grains, such as this soybean meal, to optimize production.
And these can represent significant cost to the dairy farm.
In some cases, an expensive input can be offset with homegrown forages,

and this can have a big impact on these purchased feed costs.
This, in turn, can improve what we call income over feed cost.
Another role of the forage system is to try to reduce the forage production costs
through both high yields and/or lower inputs.
And producers need to carefully select the crops and varieties that are adapted to
farms while scrutinizing crop production inputs to keep costs low.
Lower forage production costs can also help improve the farm profitability,
since forages often represent about 50% or more of the feed costs on the farm.
If the cost of the production is high for a particular forage,
then the best solution may be to purchase some of those forages.
Forages should also strive to provide feed for the various animal groups on the farm.
On a dairy farm, there's often different animal groups, like lactating cows,
dry cows, heifers, and calves.
And each of these groups have some specific requirements, and
forages grown on the farm can help meet those rations.


For example, lactating cows need forages with high fiber digestibility, whereas
dry cows need forages that are lower in potassium and can utilize pastures well.
So ideally, the farm's forage system
will have the capability to meet the different needs of these animals.
As part of this, the forage system must be designed to provide seasonal availability
of forages, either through grazing, multiple harvests per year, or
year-round storage options.
In some parts of the world, animals can graze year-round, but
in many areas feed must be stored for long periods.
These storage tactics can be significant cost to the dairy, and
can also contribute to some forage quality issues.
On this dairy, we see a well-managed bunker silo is providing corn silage,
which is a high-yielding, relatively low-cost,

consistent feed on a year-round basis for the herd.
The forages on the dairy farm must also play a role to manage the nutrients in
the manure that's supplied to the farm.
Ideally, dairy farms should have forage crops that utilize the manure and keep
the manure nutrients from contaminating ground and surface water supplies.
Crops like grass hay fields or small green cover crops can be very good in this
regard, as they need lots of nitrogen and
potassium and reduce runoff during the winter months in many areas.
The forage system must also contribute to managing the soils and pests sustainably.
For example, soil nutrient levels must be monitored to avoid depletion or
creating excessive levels.
We also need to avoid depleting the soil of organic matter and
use tactics like crop rotation, reduced tillage or strip cropping.
On this farm, corn silage is being grown using no till and rotated with a small
grain cover crop to reduce erosion, improve soil organic matter levels.
So we've learned that the role of forages is complicated on dairy farms and
there's lots of things to think about and manage regarding these issues.
Fortunately, there are a number of tools that dairy producers have at their
disposal to address some of these issues.
A plan might start with a forage inventory plan
describing the amounts of forages the farm anticipates needing for the year.
This should include the estimated feeding and
storage losses which can often total 15% to 20%.
Next would be a crop production plan with all the fields identified with projected
forage production from each.
This helps match the crops with the best soils and helps to plan the crop rotation.
A nutrient management plan would be useful to help allocate manure to fields based on
the crop needs and soil test levels.
This helps to reduce the environmental impacts from crop production and
manure applications.

A cropping budget estimates the cost of production for the forages on the farm.
And this can help decide whether to grow or purchase forages.
And once an overall plan is developed, then it must be executed well and


Annuals: Crops that are grown for a single year or less
Forage: non grain feeds such as grass or silage for cattle, horses and sheep
Nutrient management: a site specific plan for the application of plant nutrients as manure or
fertilizer to meet crop needs and minimize environmental impacts
Perennials: crops that are grown for multiple years
Conversation Matrix
1 inch = 2.5 cm
1 kg = 2.2 lbs
1 ton = 907 kg
1 ton/acre = 2.24 metric tons/hectare
1 hectare = 2.47 acres
1 US ton = 2000 lbs = 907.1847 kg
Outside US, 1 tonne/metric ton = 1000 kg
continually refined through reevaluation.
Execution of the production plan involves pulling together the skills and
equipment to plant, harvest, store the forages on a timely basis.
And this is often a substantial undertaking on most farms.
The evaluation phase involves the assessment of yields,
forage quality, soil fertility and profitability.
The evaluations are done with tools like forage analysis, soil test reports and
estimates of income over feed cost from our financial advisors.
Then each year, based on input from these sources,
the forage production plan is updated and refined.
And over time, with careful execution and
planning, many well-managed farms develop systems that allow

them to meet many of the goals that we've discussed with their forage system.
Hopefully now you have an appreciation on the fundamentals of forage
production systems on successful dairy farms.
In future lessons, we will discuss some of the specifics of successful forage
management on these dairy farms
The forages on a dairy farm can be proudly classified as annuals or perennials.
Perennials are those crops that are grown from multiple years.
Examples of these would be, alfalfa, clovers, and many types of grasses.


In this lesson, we will discuss some of the basic management issues for
perennial forages.
Perennial crops have many advantages.
They don't need to be planted every year.
They can protect the soil over the winter,
and they can help improve the soil structure and organic matter.
And they can provide high quality forage with protein, fiber, and
energy to support milk production and growth and development.
There's three key components of successful perennial forage production.
The first is the selection of the best adapted species and varieties for
the land, and the potential end use of the feed.
The second component is careful crop management with appropriate planting and
fertilizing of the crop.
And the third component is the harvesting and storage of the crop.
Let's first discuss the variety and species or seed selection.
A good seed choice would result in a forage that can be produced economically
and meet the needs of some of the animals on the farm.
Now a single farm may grow multiple species,
depending on the soil resources and the intended use of the forage.
Alfalfa is a good choice on many dairies.

It's high yielding and
can produce high quality forage to support high levels of milk production.
But Alfalfa requires soils that drain well, otherwise the Alfalfa plants will
not persist and yields will eventually be reduced.
On farms where Alfalfa does not grow well and other options might be a mixture of
Alfalfa and grass or perhaps a pure stand grass.
Common grass is used for dairy forge include Ochardgrass, ryegrass or
tall fescue.
Each of these grasses have specific traits
that make them more adapted to different situations.
Ryegrass for
an example especially well adapted to cool climates with moderate winters.
Within each grass species, seed companies have to develop varieties
with specific traits that might improve performance.
These could include higher digestibility, later maturity, or
better winter hardiness.
Many universities like Penn State, test forage varieties and
can provide some unbiased information.
A mixture of alfalfa and grass can produce good yields of forage on variable soils.
Where the soils are well drained, the Alfalfa does well, and
in other areas the grass persists and fills in.
This allows producers to grow Alfalfa type forages in variable fields that exist on
many farms.
The next step is to manage the crop to produce high yields.
The first consideration in management is to assess to soil fertility
with a soil test.


And apply recommended nutrients as lime and fertilizer.
Many legume crops require a soil pH above 6.0 to 6.5 and

optimum levels of phosphorous and potassium.
The second step in management is to establish a good crop
with careful planning techniques.
For most small seeded perennial crops, this involves seeding no more than a three
eighths inch deep in a well prepared seed bed or with a well adjusted no till drill.
When planting in a tilled seed bed, having a level, firm, and
fine seed bed will optimize seed to soil contact and emergence.
When using no till planting,
paying close attention to seeding depth with a no till drill is important.
The timing of planting is also critical.
For most forage crops the ideal time is in early spring or late summer.
After the crop emerges, it should be monitored for insects and weeds and
then treat it if necessary.
Harvesting the newly established crop just at flowering
will allow the plants to generate adequate root reserves for rapid regrowth.
Earlier harvest to control weeds may be necessary, but it will weaken the plants.
The third phase of forage management is the harvest and storage of the crop.
The optimum timing of forage harvest is a compromise between the yield, and
forage quality.
Often harvesting before the crop reaches maximum yield is the ideal.
Because forage quality declines as the crop matures.
This graph shows an idealized relationship between forage yield and quality.
Note how the digestibility declines as the forage yield increases.
The ideal stage will depend on the species and the specific feed quality desired.
For Alfalfa, harvesting at the bud stage to the early blue stage
prior to the development of many flowers as often an ideal harvest stage.
Ideally the forge crops should be mowed with no rain forecast but
this could be difficult with some areas.
The crops are moved and allowed to dry in the field until they reach
an optimum dry amount of content for the storage system.

They're going to be stored in.
For those Alfalfa crops stored as Hay,
the optimum storage moisture's 85 to 90% dry matter.
For crops being stored at plastic wrapped silage bales,
the optimum dry matter content will be approximately 35 to 40%.
For crops that will be in silo in a horizontal silo, like a bunker or pile,
the optimum dry matter will be approximately 30 to 35%.
For crops harvested as hay, a round or
square baler will be used to harvest the crop.
If the hay is stored dry, the bales will be collected from the field and
moved to a storage location.
If hay's destined for silage, then the bales will be wrapped with plastic, and
stored at a secure location.
For a crop that will be harvested as chop silage, then a forage chopper or


harvester will be used to chop and blow the forage into a truck or wagon.
The forage will be then transported to a storage facility where it
will be dumped or blown into an upright structure.
In the horizontal silos,
the forage will be spread impact with cooled oxygen from the harvested forage.
Once the structure is filled, it will be covered with plastic and
sealed to exclude oxygen to promote a rapid fermentation.
After about three weeks, the fermentation should be complete and
the silo can be opened and feeding can begin.
Open with perennial forages multiple cuttings are made during the year And
the forage from subsequent cuttings will be stored in the same silo.
An alternative is that separate smaller cuttings
can be stored in horizontal silage bags.
Each cutting may have a different forage quality and this should be assessed with

the forage analysis before feeding so that rations can be adjusted appropriately.
This has been a basic overview of forge management from establishment
through harvest.
For each part of the process there's many specific details.
For more of these details visit some of the links provided with this module.
The forages on a dairy farm can be broadly classified as either annuals or
perennials.
Annuals are crops that are grown for a single year.
Examples of these would be corn, sorghum, or small grains such as rye, or barley.
In this lesson we will discuss some of the basic management issues for
annual forages.
Annual forages have some advantages.
They offer flexibility to change crops each year.
They can have high yields, and for some, like corn and
sorghum, they can be harvested in a single, highly mechanised operation.
And they can result in relatively consistent feeds,
because of the large yields and harvest under the same weather conditions.
As with perennial forages,
there are three components of successful annual forage production.
The first is a selection of the best adapted species and
varieties of the land, and the potential end use of the feed.
The second component is careful crop management with appropriate planting and
fertilizing of the crop.
And the third component is the harvesting and storage of the crop.
We'll cover the first two points in this is lesson, and Dr.
Histoff will cover the harvesting storage in another session.
Let's first discuss each species and then variety selection.
Corn is by far the most important annual forage on many dairies in the US.
Corn chop for silage results in yields from five to ten tons per
acre of a consistent high energy forage.

And corn can effectively recycle much of the nitrogen and


potassium applied in the dairy manure.
It can be stored well and provide a year round feed that is useful for
all the different dairy cattle on the farm.
And often the cost per ton of feed is moderate to low compared to other feeds.
And these factors account for it's popularity on dairy farms.
Our key management decision is the selection of a corn hybrid for production.
The first consideration is to select a hybrid that will mature under the typical
weather conditions at the farm.
Hybrids that fail to mature can be killed by a frost,
and this will reduce the yield and quality of the forage.
A second consideration is to find a hybrid that will produce high yields of a quality
forage.
Many universities, like Penn State test corn varieties and
can provide some unbiased information.
Some corn hybrids, such as these brown midrib or
BMR hybrids are bred specifically for silage production and
have enhanced fiber digestibility which can be important on some dairy farms.
To maximize its potential,
corn should be planted in a timely manner to allow to utilize the entire season.
Corn is usually planted in rows 30 inches or 76 centimeters apart,
although some producers are switching to narrower rows to maximum yields now.
The crop should also be fertilized to achieve top yields.
Fertilizer recommendations are available in resources like
the Penn State Agronomy Guide.
Fertilizer nutrium recommendations need to account for
the yield potential of the crop and
nutrients supplied by manure applications in previous crops like alfalfa.

This helps to avoid over fertilization which can cause environmental issues.
The next important dairy forage are sorghums.
Sorghums are diverse and vary from tall forage varieties, used for
single cut systems to shorter sorghum sudans used in multiple cut systems.
Sorghum sudans are often used where the growing season is shorter and
the crop can be cut in about 60 days after planting, and
then again in 30 to 45 days if the season allows.
Forage sorghum are a single cut crop that require planting in early summer and
harvest in the fall.
Traditional forage sorghums are tall and high-yielding,
but can fall over late in the season.
Shorter sorghums have been developed to alleviate this problem.
Sorghum breeders have developed shorter sorghums that are earlier and
also brown midrib types that produce higher quality forage
with less risk of frost before maturity.
Sorghums are good options where water is limiting,
as they produce more dry matter per unit of water than corn.
Sorghums also require less nitrogen fertilizer and
generally have lower seed costs than corn.


Other important annual forages are the small grains.
These include rye, triticale, wheat, oats and barley.
In some longer season areas, these are winter crops and
can be planted following a full season crop like corn or sorghum.
Then in spring when small grain crops harvested Corn or
sorghum can be double cropped after harvest.
This rotation can maximize the amount of forage produced on a given amount of land,
but can be challenging to harvest and replant fields rapidly.
In short season areas, spring versions of the oats and

barley can be used as forage crops.
Subtle differences among these cereals can dictate their choice for
a particular environment.
For example, in winter cereals, rye is very winter hearty and early.
Triticale can produce high yields and high quality.
And barley can produce high quality at later maturity stages,
such as a soft dose stage.
With good management, these can produce a quality feed for lactating animals.
If quality is less than desired, then they can be used for replacement feed.
Winter small grains can also protect the soil from erosion and
reduce the potential for nutrient leaching and runoff.
These are import on dairy farms.
Winter small grains can also take up considerable nutrients and
help with the nutrient management planning.
To optimize yields, winter grain should be planted early in the fall, and
spring grains early in the spring.
Often, some nitrogen fertilizer will be required to optimize yield and
protein levels in the forage.
This can be supplied with either manure or nitrogen fertilizer.
Small grain forages often remove large amounts of potassium so
this nutrient should be monitored and supplied if necessary.
This has been a basic overview of annual forage management.
Annual forages alone or in combination with each other often play a large role
on modern dairy farms when managed well and harvested at the right time.
For more of these CTLs, visit the links provided with this module

Glossary
Acidosis: When the pH of the rumen falls below optimal levels (< 5.5) which impairs microbial
activity and animal health.
Continuous Grazing: Keeping animals on one pasture all the time such that plants do not have

time to recover due to frequent re-grazing of new growth
Crude Protein: The total protein found in a feed (including pasture).


Diet Selection: Selecting/rejecting plants or plant parts based on animal preferences
Fermentable carbohydrate: Sugars and starches that are easily digested, such as grain and
molasses.
Milk fever (hypocalcemia): A metabolic disease caused by low blood calcium levels.
Milk urea nitrogen: A measure of urea in the milk that can be an indicator of efficiency of
protein digestion.
Overgrazing: Grazing a plant too much such that the plant’s energy reserves are removed,
resulting in slower plant growth
Rotational Grazing: Dividing pastures and grazing animals for shorter periods in each paddock
to allow plants to recover and regrow between being harvested (grazed) by animals
Rumen degradable protein: The portion of the crude protein that is rapidly broken down in the
rumen by microbes.
Rumen undegradable protein: The portion of the crude protein that escapes microbial
digestion in the rumen.
Conversion Matrix
1 inch = 2.5 cm
1 kg = 2.2 lbs
Hello, my name is Kathy Soder.
I am a research animal scientist with the USDA agricultural research service.
Today, I will be presenting the first of two lectures on grazing management
from the Dairy Production and Management MOOC Series.
While the majority of milk produced in the United States is from dairy herds fed
conserved forages such as silage, baleage and hay.
There are a number of herds that use grazing as a feeding management strategy
for reducing feed costs, increasing profit margins or
meeting the requirements of a specific milk market.

Additionally, while larger dairy herds typically do not graze their lactating
herd, they may graze other categories of animals such as dry cows,
late lactation cows, or heifers.
Therefore, understanding basic nutrition and management of pasture is essential for
herds grazing any category of animal.
The challenges of managing a grazing system are quite different from
managing a confinement dairy.
The manage of the grazing dairy must react quickly to changes in environment,
such as weather, soil, and forage conditions on a daily basis.


Managers of confinement dairy systems are usually very production oriented,
so they can profit from high levels of milk production.
Grazing systems, on the other hand,
are frequently characterized by lower levels of milk production.
However, emphasis is placed on high milk production per acre at a reduced cost
since the cows are harvesting much of their own feed and
spreading their own manure.
The key to any successful dairy grazing system is providing high-quality
forage in sufficient quantities such that dry matter intake and nutrient intakes
are not deficient, as these are two of the main driving factors for milk production.
The main nutritional influences on milk yield from pasture include, high-quality
forage grown per unit of land, amount of pasture allocated per cow, pasture
management, and quality of supplemental feed to complement pasture nutrition.
While dairy farmers grazed cows generations ago, as technology advanced,
it was found to be more advantageous from a milk production standpoint,
to bring cows to the barn and feed them under more controlled conditions.
However, as economics have changed over the last few decades, some dairy farmers
have revisited the use of lower cost pasture as a main forage source.
Grazing management today is not the same as grazing management several

generations ago.
In the past, cows were grazed in uncontrolled or
continuous pasture system for a long period of time.
Because the cows have access to the entire pasture all the time,
they're able to select their favorite forage species and ignore the others.
This will result in cows overgrazing desirable species and
decreased forage yield.
In addition, due to stressing the forage plants from overgrazing,
this will provide an opportunity for weeds to move in.
As a result of this management, one can expect lower milk and forage production.
Additionally, nutrient deposition will be uneven as cows deposit greater amounts of
manure in favorite hangouts such as under shade trees or near water tanks.
Unlike continuous grazing, rotational grazing involves dividing large pastures
with fencing to graze smaller pastures more intensively for
shorter periods of time.
Usually one-half to one day.
Then moving cows to another pasture to allow that pasture foraged to rest,
regrow, and regenerate energy stores to improve pasture productivity and
longevity, and decrease weed issues due to improved forage vigor.
This system has greater capital investment than continuous grazing,
mostly in fencing and watering systems.
Requires a bit more labor to do the daily moves to new pasture, but
still less investment than a confinement system.
Since the cows are limited to a smaller pasture area, competition for
forages is greater, and opportunity for
diet selection is lower, which will improve forage use.
Forage quality is typically higher since forages are grazed at optimum maturity.


If forages get too mature to graze, they can be harvested as silage or

hay, unlike a continuously grazed pasture or harvesting would not be an option.
The farm manager is able to control the forage tight at which the cows are removed
which is crucial to the plants ability to survive.
One of the advantages of feeding cows in confinement is the ability
to control the cows diet, resulting in greater milk production.
Feed is provided in the feed bunk and cows have a limited ability to pick and
choose, especially if a total mixed ration is fed.
In addition, herds in confinement are often larger as they're
not restricted by the amount of pasture within walking distance of the barn or
milking parlor, the way grazing herds can be limited.
However, confinement herds require greater amounts of fuel, labor, and
time, greater manure storage, hauling, and spreading capabilities, and
the potential for greater soil erosion in crop lands due to tillage or
lack of full coverage of the soil surface throughout the year.
The type of feeding management used in dairy herds, will depend greatly on
resources, skills, business plans, milk markets, and desires of the owner.
Some dairy producers have been grazing cows for decades,
while others become frustrated when pasture does not produce quality forage,
due to poor pasture management.
Grazing is one option that has helped some smaller family farms
stay in business through decreased costs, feed inputs, and or increased income,
such as grass-fed labels or organic milk markets.
Now that we've discussed the basic types of grazing systems,
understanding that there are many variations within each,
let's now briefly discuss pasture management.
We mentioned previously that we want to manage forages by quickly harvesting
the forage, not overgraze the pastures to allow sufficient forage cover,
then resting the plants to allow them regrow.
But why is this beneficial?
Most forage plants store energy in either the bottom few inches of the forage,

and/or in the roots.
This will vary by species, so check with local agronomy experts for
information on local forages.
If the plant is grazed too closely to the ground,
this energy storage bank is removed.
In addition, too many leaves are removed which serve as solar panels to
capture the Sun's energy to grow.
This stresses the plant,
forcing it to draw energy from the root reserves to regrow.
Repeated overgrazing will stunt plant growth, decrease root mass, and
weaken the plants.
Sometimes to the point of death.
Once stunted, these plants do not regrow as quickly, resulting in decreased forage
production and number of animals that the pasture can support.
This will increase the need for either additional pasture acreage or


supplemental feeding to meet the nutrient needs of the herd.
While it is easy to see what happens above ground,
what we don't see is what is happening beneath the soil surface.
When forage plants are overgrazed, the root mass and the root depth decrease.
This decreases the soil's ability to absorb water,
as well as decreases the plant's ability to take up water and
nutrients from the soil, particularly during periods of drought.
To illustrate this concept, the plant on the left was allowed to grow for
three months without clipping.
It has a very healthy root system.
The plant in the middle was clipped to 7.5 centimeters or
3 inches every 3 weeks for 3 months.
It also has a healthy root system,

although not quite as dense as the first plant.
The plant on the right was clipped at 2.5 centimeters or
1 inch every week for 3 months.
This plant has a very weak and shallow root system and may not survive a drought.
Clearly, management of a profitable grazing system requires
different management skills when compared to confinement systems.
There is an art as well as a science to managing a grazing dairy herd
that could only be gained with knowledge and experience.
Keeping the pasture feed bunk full of nutritious feed
is one of the most important aspects of grazing nutrition.
In the next session, we will discuss nutrition in dairy grazing systems.
Hello, my name is Kathy Soder.
I am a research animal scientist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Today, I will be presenting the second of two lessons on grazing
management from the dairy production and management MOOC series.
In the last lesson, we focused on pasture management.
Today, we will focus on the animal,
to look at the nutritional aspect of dairy grazing systems.
While grazing cows is a low cost resource for feeding dairy cows,
intensive grazing systems present challenges to nutritionists and farmers.
The forage quality of pastures is usually higher than
the same forage harvested as silage or dry hay due to maturity level of harvest.
Seasonal variation, species composition such as legumes mixed with grass species,
fertilization management and grazing preferences by animals makes supplemental
feeding with pasture based systems more difficult
than with confinement systems where forage quality is known.
High quality pastures are key to optimal milk production in grazing dairy herds.
However, there are many questions regarding what defines a high quality
pasture and how we can develop and
maintain high quality forages in sufficient quantities

to meet the dry matter and nutrient needs of lactating dairy cows.
High quality pasture has many positive attributes for lactating dairy cows, but


it also has nutritional imbalances and deficiencies.
Total protein is usually high in frequently exceeds crude protein needs
of the lactating cow, especially if nitrogen fertilization or
legumes are part of the pasture management.
This protein is highly degradable in the rumen.
This rumen degradable protein,
or RDP, is rapidly broken down by the rumen microbes into ammonia.
Ideally, this ammonia is recaptured into more microbial protein to maintain rumen
function and provide protein to the animal further down the digestive tract.
However, if energy is lacking in the diet, which can be the case with pasture
based diets, this ammonia cannot be recaptured into microbial protein.
Rather it is converted to urea, a less toxic form, and
excreted in urine and milk.
Not only is this a potential environmental issue with additional nitrogen excreted in
urine, and can have negative effects on cow productivity through elevated milk
urea nitrogen or MUN levels, but the conversion of ammonia to urea
requires energy that otherwise could have been used to produce additional milk.
For high producing cows, producing greater than 70 pounds of 32 kilograms of
milk per day on pasture, rumen undegradable or bypass protein,
also known as RUP, may be inadequate and a supplemental source of rumen
undegradable protein may be necessary to maintain optimal milk production.
The fiber content of high quality pasture may be too low,
particularly in the spring and fall.
To stimulate adequate cud chewing and rumination.
This may result in reduced milk fat content and
metabolic issues such as acidosis.

Some grazing dairies will allow some pastures to get a bit more
mature to increase the fiber content of the diet.
However, this will also result in reduced protein and energy of the pasture forage,
so supplemental feeding may be needed to meet those nutrient needs.
Other farms will supplement with hay or baleage to provide long fiber.
The amount of several minerals including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,
sulfur, zinc, and salt are usually inadequate in pasture.
In general, these minerals should be added to the supplemental feeding program or
to a free-choice trace mineral mix.
Potassium and
phosphorous may be too high in some regions relative to nutrient needs,
particularly in areas that historically have had heavy lumen application.
High potassium diet can result in milk fever, or
hypocalcemia, while high phosphorous is an environmental concern as it is excreted in
the minora and it can get into the water supply.
Vitamins A and E are high in fresh pasture forages and
vitamin supplementation is often not needed during the grazing season, but
may be necessary during the non-grazing season when conserved forages are fed.
In addition to the high protein content, the other notable nutrient imbalance is
a relatively low fermentable carbohydrate content.


The major source of energy for both the rumen microbes, and
the cow, in most pastures compared to the needs of the cow.
Therefore, strategic supplementation with grain or other energy sources may be
desirable to maintain milk production, milk components, and animal health.
Research at Penn State University has shown that high quality pastures in
the Northeastern United States can support 18-23 kg or 40-50 lb of milk production.
However, this was a short-term study that did not account for
long-term effects on body condition or reproduction.

In addition, many grazing farms target higher levels of milk production or
need supplemental feeds to fill in gaps in forage production such as summer slumps or
poor quality forage.
Therefore, strategic supplementation of grazing dairy cows is often
needed to maintain animal productivity and farm milk production goals.
The most common supplementation strategies are grains for
energy, effect the fiber from forage or high fiber feed ingredients, and
minerals that are deficient in pastures.
In addition, some very high producing herds may supplement with fat or
rumen bypass protein source to improve production and components.
Before we discuss supplementation,
the first step in a successful grazing system is to provide adequate quantities
of high-quality pasture, which is the cheapest feed source available.
If pasture availability is limited,
cows cannot maintain adequate dry matter intake.
In addition, they will spend more time walking around searching for more to eat.
The energy spent walking could have been used to produce more milk.
Therefore, we want to make sure the cows get the most
high quality forages possible in every bite taken.
When deciding how much area to give cows,
the farmer must consider the following options.
How much time with the cow spend in this pasture will she be out half a day,
one day, or longer on the same pasture?
How many cows are on the pasture?
How big is that pasture?
Estimated dry matter intake of group.
How much forage is available?
And how much will cows actually consume versus what they will waste or
leave behind?
This last point is important.

Cows will not eat every single bite of grass available in a pasture.
Some forage will be wasted due to rejection, manure and urine spots and
preference for other plants.
It is important to allocate more pasture than is expected to be consumed
probably 50 to 100% over and above expected requirements.
For cows to maintain dry matter intake, select the highest quality forages,
avoid manure and urine patches and
allow enough forage residual to maintain plant regrowth.


Even with sufficient quantities of high quality pasture,
the nutrient needs of lactating cows are often not met, especially energy.
Therefore, strategic supplementation is a crucial part of dairy nutrition
in most grazing herds.
Any type of supplement will reduce the cows' intake on pasture.
If forage is supplemented,
you can expect an approximate one to one substitution rate.
That is, for every pound or kilogram of supplemental forage fed,
on a dry matter basis, you can expect pasture intake to decrease by one pound or
kilogram of dry matter.
This results in no change in total dry matter intake.
One pound or kilogram of concentrated grain on a dry matter basis
will reduce pasture intake by ony one-half a pound or kilogram of dry matter.
Supplementing with grain or concentrate will not ony result in greater total dry
matter intake due to a lower substitution rate, but greater nutrient intake,
especially energy, due to the increased nutrient density of the grains.
Substitution rates for biotic feeds may vary depending on source and
nutrient content.
Another factor that can influence pasture intake and
grazing behavior is when supplemental feed is fed in relation to the grazing period.

Some farms will feed supplemental feed in the milking parlour or
immediately after milking.
The cows are then turned out to pasture.
Other farms will turn cows out on pasture after milking and
feed supplemental feed later in the day.
When cows are fed supplements prior to grazing,
appetite will be reduced when turned out on pasture.
And just like humans,
when they are less hungry, cows get pickier about what they eat.
They may only nibble on the tips of the forage plants or select certain species of
plants which result in decreased pasture intake and utilization.
When cows are turned out hungry with no supplemental feed prior to grazing,
appetite is high.
Grazing is more aggressive and cows will be much less selective about what plants
and plant parts they eat, thereby increasing pasture intake and utilization.
Grazing dairy farmers can use this behavior to meet their farm goals,
whether it is to maximize pasture intake or
stretch pasture resources with supplemental feed.
Due to grain prices and availability, farm philosophy and
milk markets, some grazing dairies have gone no grain.
Feeding only forages to their cows in the form of pasture or conserve forages but
not corn silage.
While this can be successfully done, it does take a higher level of management and
adaptation to go no-grain.
High forage quality is a must at all times,
as there is no grain to fall back on if forages are not of sufficient quality.


Cows must be adapted to a no-grain diet, as well.
It is not advisable to put cows with high milk production potential

on a no-grain diet.
They will continue to try to produce high quantities of milk at the expense of their
body condition and health and eventually fall out of the system.
Cows should be of moderate body frame, moderate milk production,
with enough body capacity to process high forage diets.
Farmers must also make adjustments.
Milk production will likely drop but must be maintained at profitable levels.
There are some premium markets for grass-fed milk, but
at this time, they are limited to the United States.
Farmers must keep a close eye on pasture quality and availability and
often be thinking weeks or months ahead to insure there's adequate pasture available
as well as have a backup plan in place in the event of adverse weather conditions
such as drought or flooding.
Management of a profitable grazing system requires higher and
different management skills compared with confinement systems.
Successful grazers acquire these skills with experience, education and
mentorship from other grazers.
Keeping adequate amounts of high quality pasture is one of the most important
aspects of nutritional management of raising dairy herds.
Thank you for joining us for the grazing management section.
More information will be provided in the lesson resources on the MOOC website.
Week 2
Latest Submission Grade
86.66%
1.
Question 1
Which of the following would not be considered a forage for dairy cows?
1 / 1 point

Corn silage

Alfalfa hay


Sorghum silage

Ryegrass pasture

Barley grain
Correct
2.
Question 2
Which of the following soil nutrients is important to monitor when growing small grain silages?
1 / 1 point

Phosphorous

Zinc

Potassium

pH

Calcium
Correct
3.


Question 3
Alfalfa is especially sensitive to which of the following soil properties?

1 / 1 point

Soil nitrogen

Soil drainage

Slope

Soil phosphorus

Stonieness
Correct
4.
Question 4
Compared to corn, sorghum
1 / 1 point

Does not have BMR versions

Uses less water


Needs more N fertilizer

Needs more N fertilizer and does not have BMR versions

Uses less water and needs more N fertilizer
Correct
5.
Question 5

Nutrient management is a term that refers to:
1 / 1 point

Understanding the vitamin needs of the cattle on the farm

Managing the energy levels of the forages to optimize production

Matching the minerals to the protein content of the forage

Planning to distribute manure and fertilizers to the fields where they are most needed

Balancing the ration of the cows
Correct
6.
Question 6


Corn silage is popular annual forage crop because
1 / 1 point

the high protein content of the forage

the consistent forage quality and high yields

its responds well to N fertilizer

it has a relatively low starch content

it grows well on poor soils
Correct

7.
Question 7
Brown mid rib hybrids are known for what characteristic?
1 / 1 point

High yield

High starch content

High fiber digestibility


High protein

Reduced feed intake
Correct
8.
Question 8
Which of the following tools helps the producer know how much corn to plant?
1 / 1 point

Soil test report

Nutrient management plan

Cropping plan

Feed inventory

Variety performance trials

Correct
9.
Question 9
Winter small grains often have a special niche in cropping systems because:


1 / 1 point

The forage quality is often not influenced by maturity

Yields are higher than most other forage crops

Another forage crop can be double cropped following harvest

They are often harvested in the winter

They usually have lower protein levels than corn silage
Correct
10.
Question 10
For most small seeded forages, try not to plant more than
1 / 1 point

1 inch deep

2 inches deep

1/2 inches deep

3/8 inches deep

3/4 inches deep
Correct
11.
Question 11
What nutrient is most commonly deficient in pasture-based diets for lactating dairy cows?
0 / 1 point

Protein

Energy

Potassium

Vitamins
Incorrect
12.
Question 12
Which of the following is NOT a possible supplementation strategy for grazing dairy cows?
0 / 1 point

Concentrate (grain)


No supplement

Silage/Baleage

All of the above are potential supplementation strategies

Incorrect
13.
Question 13
All of the following are keys to a successful dairy grazing system EXCEPT:
1 / 1 point

High debt/cow

Pasture management

Amount of pasture allocated per cow

High-quality pasture forage
Correct
14.
Question 14


Where do pasture plants (cool-season grasses and legume) store energy reserves used for
regrowth?
1 / 1 point

Bottom few inches of the plant

Roots

Seed Heads

Both bottom few inches of the plant and roots
Correct

15.
Question 15
Repeated overgrazing of pastures will result in all of the following EXCEPT:
1 / 1 point

Stunted plant growth

Decreased forage production

Improved milk production