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Posted 25 September 2006. Forage and Grazinglands. Rotational Grazing for Dairy Farms South Dakota State University. Brookings, South Dakota (September 13, 2006) - Rotational grazing can be a strategy that can decrease production costs, increase profitability, and sustainability of medium to small dairy farms.
South Dakota State University Extension Dairy Specialist Alvaro Garcia said that by having pasture as the main forage at least during part of the year, dairy farmers may be able to reduce their input and labor costs and thus increase profitability. Rotational grazing also offers other benefits such as decreased soil erosion and nutrient run-off and increased wildlife habitat. The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute of Wisconsin recently analyzed what obstacles farmers need to overcome in order to start a grazing operation, Garcia noted. Among the most relevant findings were that debt load, land, measure of success, practicality, and lifestyle were factors that played a role against the decision to switch to a grazing system. If the debt load is high, limited cash flow may hinder producers' ability to switch to this lower input-output system. Depending on the region, land prices may also make grazing prohibitive as raising cash crops may give a greater return, and/or the need to rent additional land for grazing purposes may negate the benefits of lower input costs. It also requires rethinking about what constitutes success of a dairy operation. If a dairy producer identifies high milk production averages rather than profitability as a measure of success, then grazing will never be considered as a viable alternative. Among the barriers to establish a grazing operation that were found among beginning farmers were: land, capital, and experience. It may be difficult for the younger generation to convince the older generation into turning their cropland into a rotational grazing operation. When establishing the grazing operation there are some costs that need to be incurred in such as fencing, developing lanes, and other related expenses. If there's need for a loan, demonstrating to a banker that there will be adequate cash flow might be one of the most challenging issues for a starting grazing operation. Finally, it is very important for those farmers that want to explore grazing as an alternative to visit with their peers who have been successful in establishing their systems. Garcia said producers who want to learn more about the overall findings and how to overcome those constraints can access the entire report on the Web. Or ask at your county Extension office for assistance. Contacts: Alvaro Garcia Lance Nixon, Editor |
