Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Animal Products: dairy
Practices
- Animal Production: manure management, grazing - rotational
- Education and Training: demonstration, networking, on-farm/ranch research
- Production Systems: general crop production
Abstract:
Data needed to estimate dry matter intake and manure production on seven Wisconsin dairy farms practicing Management Intensive Rotational Grazing (MIRG) was collected in the summers of 2003 through 2005. Three methods were used to estimate dry matter intake, clipping, a pasture plate, pasture height or energy balance. The energy balance method proved to be the most accurate Dry matter intake based on this method were 20.9, 20.5 and 20.0 lbs/cow/day for 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively. Milk production averaged 51 lbs/cow/day. Feces production average of 86 lbs/cow/day. This is significantly less than values currently used for nutrient management planning for cows in confinement. However when urine is included the total manure production values were similar to those used for confined animals.
Introduction:
Across the north central region, states have begun to implement programs that mandate nutrient management planning to reduce the impacts of manure nutrients on surface water quality. Wisconsin statutes require all farms in the state to meet nutrient management standards by 2008. Both farmers and other agricultural professionals are gaining experience in writing nutrient management plans, but few plans have been written for farms practicing management intensive rotational grazing. Few existing programs address nutrient management planning for grazing farms.
Grass-based dairy farms are fundamentally different from conventional farms in ways that are likely to affect manure nutrient management. The differences between a confinement system and an MIRG system are several, including amount and quality of feed and forage consumed, volume of milk produced per cow, and distribution of manure generated. While the estimates associated with these items are fairly well documented for confinement systems, it is questionable whether they are accurate for grass-based dairies.
Measuring dry matter intake (DMI) and manure production of grazing cattle is problematic given the nature of grazing systems. A simple method for estimating intake and manure production that could be used on working dairies would vastly improve accuracy of nutrient management plans for MIRG herds.
This project provides farmers practicing MIRG with new tools to enhance their understanding of land stewardship and nutrient management. It will allows for the farmer input and experience needed to develop meaningful NMPs for MIRG farms. It will allow us to collect accurately and systematically, on-farm data concerning pasture productivity, milk production, and manure generation in broad climatic areas of Wisconsin. This will be the most complete data set in the northern temperate climate region of North America and will serve to promote economically and environmentally sound livestock agriculture in the North Central region.
Project objectives:
Producers using Management Intensive Rotational Grazing (MIRG) will increase their awareness of the need for Nutrient Management Planning (NMP) and will become more knowledgeable of what is required to develop accurate plans. Other audiences (agencies and private consultants) involved in the process will be more knowledgeable about NMP issues for grazing farms and improve their ability to assist/support the NMP process.
Accuracy of estimates of manure production by grazing dairy cows will be improved to facilitate NMP by MIRG farms.
Accuracy of estimates of dry matter intake by grazing dairy cows will be improved. Across the north central region, states have begun to implement programs that mandate nutrient management planning to reduce the impacts of manure nutrients on surface water quality. Wisconsin statutes require all dairy farms in the state to meet nutrient management standards by 2008. Both farmers and other agricultural professionals are gaining experience in writing nutrient management plans, but few plans have been written for farms practicing management intensive rotational grazing. Few of the existing programs address nutrient management planning for grazing farms.
Grass-based dairy farms are fundamentally different from conventional farms in ways that are likely to affect manure nutrient management. The differences between a confinement system and an MIRG system are several, including amount and quality of feed and forage consumed, volume of milk produced per cow, and distribution of manure generated. While the estimates associated with these items are fairly well documented for confinement systems, but not for grass-based dairies.
Measuring dry matter intake (DMI) and manure production of grazing cattle is problematic given the nature of grazing systems. A simple method for estimating intake and manure production that could be used on working dairies would vastly improve accuracy of nutrient management plans for MIRG herds.
This project provides farmers practicing MIRG with new tools to enhance their understanding of land stewardship and nutrient management. It will allow for the farmer input and experience needed to develop meaningful NMPs for MIRG farms. It will allow us to collect accurately and systematically, on-farm data concerning pasture productivity, milk production, and manure generation in broad climatic areas of Wisconsin. This will be the most complete data set in the northern temperate climate region of North America and will serve to promote economically and environmentally sound livestock agriculture in the North Central region.
Nutrient management plans for the participating farms will be developed, implemented, and monitored to demonstrate the NMP process to other MIRG farms.
Development and demonstration of a nutrient management planning framework which will enable grazing dairy farms in the north central region to meet current and future nutrient management standards.
Development/modification of supporting NMP software and related tools that provide farmers and their support network with a means for accurately planning and documenting nutrient flows throughout the farm in accordance with nutrient management standards.
MIRG farms in the North Central Region will develop and implement nutrient management plans that enhance their environmental stewardship and improve the natural resource base on which they depend