Forage-based approaches for improving profitability and ecosystem services of dairy farms in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania

Forage-based approaches for improving profitability and ecosystem services of dairy farms in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania

Summary

Project PIs (Brito, Smith, and Hristov) met in University Park this past October to discuss project initiation, university and on-farm research, and farmer participation. Project PIs Brito and Roth also met with farmer collaborators from New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, respectively, to discuss their involvement in the project and plan future outreach activities. No animal research has started to date. However, barley and triticale were planted in Pennsylvania for the feeding study. It was also planted the forage crops to be used in the  replicated field trials in the Pennsylvania site. Crop work in New Hampshire will start in 2014. Preliminary simulations using the Integrated Farm Systems Model showed both economic and greenhouse gases advantages using alternative forage crops (AFCs). Focus group interviews with farmers from New Hampshire and Pennsylvania are planned for this upcoming winter.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Performance target: Compared to the previous year, 60 farmers milking 5,000 cows enhance IOFC by $0.50/cow/day after replacing expensive grain with AFC, generating cumulative profit of approximately $5,000 per farm as a result of 120-days worth of forage surplus.

Our project started this past fall and activities just began to unfold. For instance, focus group interviews with approximately 20 dairy farmers from New Hampshire and Pennsylvania are planned to be conducted to this upcoming winter (milestone 1). These focus group interviews will help project team assess farmers’ knowledge about AFCs use and agronomic practices. Based on the focus groups, a survey will be designed and mailed to 1,000 farmers to obtain key information about AFCs knowledge and practices throughout New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. Both activities (i.e., focus group and survey) will set the stage for remaining project outreach.

Accomplishments/Milestones

As mentioned in the previous section, the project started this past fall and activities just started to unfold. The greatest progress so far was achieved in the PA site where barley and triticale were planted for harvesting silage to be used in the feeding study. It was also planted the forage crops to be used replicated field trials in the Pennsylvania site: (1) continuous corn (no AFCs); (2) corn followed by oats (fall AFCs); (3) corn followed by winter triticale (spring AFCs); (4) corn followed by an oat/rye mix (fall and spring AFCs); (5) corn followed by an oat/triticale mix (fall and spring AFCs); (6) corn followed by winter barley harvested at the soft dough stage and then double cropped with BMR forage sorghum followed by triticale (spring AFCs and summer annual AFCs); and (7) corn followed by winter triticale harvested at the soft dough stage and then double cropped with BMR forage sorghum followed by triticale (spring AFCs and summer annual AFCs). Crop work in the New Hampshire site will start in 2014. PI Roth presented an overview about the potential use of AFCs in dairy farms across the Northeast at the 2013 Animal and Dairy Science at the Joint Annual Meeting in Indianapolis this past July. Preliminary simulations using the Integrated Farm Systems Model showed both economic and greenhouse gases advantages when using alternative forage crops (AFCs) and were presented by collaborator Al Rotz at this same meeting. Focus group interviews and survey activities will be designed and implemented in the upcoming winter.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Project PIs (Brito, Smith, and Hristov) met in University Park this past October to discuss project initiation, university and on-farm research, and farmer participation. Project PIs Brito and Roth also met with farmer collaborators from New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, respectively, to discuss their involvement in the project and plan future outreach activities. Engagement of farmers will be done via focus group interviews and surveys, which will be conducted this upcoming winter. Team presentations (Roth and Rotz) at the 2013 Animal and Dairy Science at the Joint Annual Meeting in Indianapolis this past July did engage the scientific community.

Collaborators: