Grasses and Grazing

Feeding green grass to dairy cows is nothing new, but recent innovations have made it easier to add to diets of high-producing cows.

Management decisions such as spanning soil fertility economics, market risk management and selecting adapted breeding stock and forages can have wide-reaching impact on the resilience of a farm business.

While many use rotational grazing to increase their grass quality, many are unaware of the actual profitability that can be obtained by managing the process correctly.

Cattle producers are familiar with livestock nutrition. They need to know the animals’ nutrient requirements and forage test the hay fed to the animals.

Though it never was wildly popular, about a generation ago birdsfoot trefoil began being used even less frequently on dairy farms. Birdsfoot trefoil is a slow-growing forage legume and usually won’t persist when included in a mixed seeding with alfalfa and grass.

The greatest percentage of a cow’s annual maintenance cost is almost always allocated toward her feed bill, which can include supplement, mineral and hay.