Organic Dairy Research. West Central Research and Outreach Center. WCROC Dairy Herds. WCROC Dairy Pastures. Dairy research and outreach at WCROC

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1 Organic Dairy Research West Central Research and Outreach Center Bradley J. Heins University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center Morris, MN Dairy research and outreach at WCROC Grain Supplementation Strategies Summer Annuals for grazing Pasture Forage Quality Out wintering Future Fodder Studies Group Rearing of Dairy Calves 1 WCROC Dairy Herds Organic herd 136 cows 124 lactating 40 lbs milk, 3.8% fat, 3.1% protein, 303 SCC Milk price: $32.38 /cwt. Conventional herd 145 cows 120 lactating 58 lbs milk, 3.6% fat, 3.1% protein, 233 SCC Milk price: $17.05 /cwt. WCROC Dairy Pastures Eastern Pasutres Milking Cows and young heifers 160 acres Western Pastures Heifers and dry cows 240 acres

2 Organic Dairy Research USDA-NIFA-OREI $1.93 million 4-yr funded project Compare 2 diverse grazing systems Compare winter housing systems Walk-thru fly traps for horn fly control Assess udder health and dry-cow strategies Soil fertility and animal behavior Economics of grazing and winter housing Extension and outreach programs Seven U of MN faculty from ANSC, AGRO, VET, ENT, APEC Forage quality of two different pasture systems incorporating warm and cool season forages for grazing organic dairy cattle Kathryn Ruh Advised by Dr. Bradley Heins Materials/Methods o Cool system Warm system o 15 cows per system

3 Materials/Methods Perennial pastures established 2012 Inter-seeded species into current pastures Warm season annuals seeded late May Grazed 2013 and 2014 Pasture clippings taken every other day o 0.76 m 2 square of pasture o Three clippings per sample Results across grazing season Cool pasture BMRSS Teff grass DM a b a TTNDFD a b b CP a 16.7 b b Ca P K 3.09 a 2.95 ab 2.59 bc *Different letters denote a significant difference of p<0.05 between values of the row Results for Years Results for Years

4 Results Results Results Results

5 Conclusions Future Research BMRSS had significantly lower DM content than cool pasture and Teff grass TTNDFD and CP differed between Cool and Warm season grasses Dual flow continuous culture rumen fermenters for digestibility Milk production on each system Rumination from activity monitors Pasture growth/biomass per system Evaluation of forage quality of five grains for use in sprouted fodder production systems for organic dairy cattle B. J. Heins*, J. C. Paulson, H. Chester-Jones West Central Research and Outreach Center Morris, MN

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7 Alternative grains Compare small grain varieties Barley Oats Test the performance of varieties of: Barley Oats Wheat Rye Triticale Rye Harvested 7 days after growth Triticale Wheat Compared for forage quality, minerals, mold

8 Data for sprouted grain study Study evaluated 5 alternative grains from September 2, 2014 to October 7, Trays were seeded and harvested every Tuesday for 5 weeks. Twenty-eight trays each week were seeded for each of five grains with 4.1 kg (9 lbs) of wet grain soaked for 24 hours Data for sprouted grain study Biomass and mold score (1 no mold to 5 extreme mold) were recorded Five samples each week of each grain were send to Rock River Labs, Watertown, WI for forage and mineral analysis by wet-chemistry methods Compare small grain varieties FODDER SYSTEM GRAIN REPLICATION STUDY DESIGN O O O O B B B B T T T T W W W W R R R R 2 W W W W R R R R O O O O T T T T B B B B 3 B B B B T T T T W W W W R R R R O O O O Fodder dry matter, growth, and mold Variable Barley Oats Rye Triticale Wheat Dry matter 15.4 a 19.1 b 19.8 b 24.2 b 18.9 c Weight (kg) 9.3 a 9.0 a,b 7.8 c 6.3 d 8.8 b 4 R R R R W W W W B B B B O O O O T T T T 5 T T T T O O O O R R R R B B B B W W W W 6 O O O O W W W W B B B B R R R R T T T T 7 R R R R B B B B W W W W T T T T O O O O Mold score 0.04 a 0.03 a 2.8 b 4.8 c 1.1 d Mold score 0= no mold, 5 = severe mold Means within a row without common superscripts are different at P < 0.05.

9 Forage quality of fodder Variable Barley Oats Rye Triticale Wheat Protein (%) 15.6 a 13.1 b 12.8 b 17.0 c 17.9 c ADF (%) 17.4 a 25.4 b 8.4 c 7.7 c 12.5 d NDF (%) 34.4 a 44.8 b 23.6 c 20.4 d 26.7 e Lignin (%) 3.7 a 5.2 b 2.0 c 2.1 c 2.8 a,c NFC (%) 45.7 a 33.4 b 59.9 c 58.9 c 51.8 d Starch (%) 25.8 a 20.2 b 36.3 c 39.3 c 31.4 d TDN 73.4 a 71.8 a 79.1 b 79.7 b 77.0 c Means within a row without common superscripts are different at P < Mineral quality of fodder Variable Barley Oats Rye Triticale Wheat Calcium 0.16 a 0.13 b 0.12 b 0.12 b 0.12 b Phosphorous 0.37 a 0.28 b 0.37 c 0.40 a,c 0.43 c Potassium 0.30 a 0.20 b 0.35 c 0.35 c 0.30 a Magnesium 0.15 a 0.13 b 0.15 c 0.16 a 0.18 c Sulfur 0.20 a 0.18 b 0.17 c 0.18 a,b 0.20 a Iron (ppm) a a,b 75.6 c 83.0 c 82.5 c Means within a row without common superscripts are different at P < Alternative grain conclusions Barley and Oats had most forage mass, Triticale was the lowest The results show that barley has the highest forage quality for fodder production systems. However, oats may be another option for fodder production systems in the Upper Midwest.

10 Filth flies in pastures Horn fly (live on backs, bellies) Face fly (visit faces) Commercial version Spalding Cow Vac Install at parlor entryway or other forced-passage situation Needs power Costs $7,499 + shipping Stable fly (visit legs) USDA-NIFA-OREI Research and education project UM's WCROC at Morris Certified ~100-cow organic dairy herd UM Research & Outreach Center, Morris, MN Traps Bruce trap vs. Cow-Vac? Experiments in summers of 2013 and 2014 On-farm evaluations in 2015

11 Bruce trap (experimental) Cow-Vac (experimental) Netted horn flies from cows at morning milking Released known numbers onto subherds in afternoon on way into parlor Routed subherds with flies through designated traps Retrieved caught flies after each passage, to calculate mean numbers caught and % captured per passage Bruce trap panel Cow Vac sock insert

12 Percent of Horn Flies Removed ± LSD/ Horn flies captured per passage Bruce trap Cow Vac n = 16 passages through each kind of trap Bruce traps removed ~ 4.5% of marked horn flies per passage Cow Vacs removed ~ 21% of marked flies = 4-5 times more than Bruce trap Cow Vac caught 2-3 more face flies and stable flies, too Will Cow Vac control flies at farm level? Will use be profitable? Answers from farm evaluations this summer Spalding Cow Vac vs. doing nothing? Some back-of-the-envelope calculations... In summers , Morris herd size was 100 cows, yield without Cow Vac was ~30 lbs/d, milk price was ~$27/cwt Suppose we were to use Cow Vac for Jul-Aug (60 days), and got a 5% increase in milk per day... Increase in milk check would be 100 cows x 30 lbs/d x $0.27 x 60 days x 0.05 = $2,430 Cow Vac cost $7,499 + shipping ($400 to Morris), so payback time would be ($7,499 + $400)/$2,430 = 3.25 grazing seasons USDA-NIFA-OREI Research and education project UM's WCROC at Morris Winter housing options: "outwintering" on straw packs vs. on covered compost bedding Experiments in

13 Winter housing options for organic cows? Straw pack outdoors vs. sawdust compost bedding barn Remember, stable flies come from moist organic debris Accumulated manure, soiled bedding, feed debris Big picture: animal health, productivity, and economics Two herds of 20 cows housed each way in , , and (total 12 herds, 240 cows). Drawing: F. Gregor Winter housing options for organic cows? Straw pack outdoors vs. sawdust compost bedding barn Big picture: animal health, productivity, and economics Two herds of 20 cows housed each way in , , and (total 12 herds, 240 cows). See Schmidtmann et al., J Econ Entomol 82:

14 Winter housing options for organic cows? Straw pack outdoors vs. sawdust compost bedding barn Winter housing options for organic cows? Total number emerged (per pile) Produce the same number of stable flies in following summers? We sampled piles with fly emergence traps in spring-summers of 2013 and 2014 to quantify fly production. Way more stable flies emerged from straw packs than from compost sawdust bedding packs! Bulk of them emerged in June-July. Winter housing options for organic cows? Total number emerged (per pile) Production of stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) from straw bedding packs and sawdust compost barns, two alternative cold winter housing systems for dairy cows To minimize fly production, use sawdust if you can. If you must use straw, be sure to clean out and spread soiled bedding just after spring turnout (~ 1 June). 56

15 Fly research objectives Determine if there are different numbers of stable flies at different bedding packs Measuring fly abundance All treatments over winter, measuring effects during summer Emergence Traps Measure stable flies emerging from undisturbed winter housing systems Is one substrate more suitable than another? We also examined abundance of flies surrounding packs to assess if piles are equally attractive. Cows in winter housing Sticky traps at winter sites Cows on pasture Goal: minimize stable fly activity during the summer Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Fly trapping Interested in stable flies emerging from each lot Difference in fly counts between the compost barns and straw lots? Sticky traps set to estimate overall abundance Alysinite fiberglass (Williams, 1973) Fly emergence traps Designed to catch flies emerging from substrate 30 traps at each location (120 total) Randomly assigned location each week

16 Stable flies captured on sticky traps Stable fly emergence from housing systems Conclusions No differences in milk production or SCS between cattle raised in a compost barn versus outdoor straw pack Acknowledgements This project was funded by USDA-NIFA (# ), Strategies to Improve Profitability of Organic Dairy Herds in the Upper Midwest Cows outdoors weighed more than cows indoors. Cost to bed cows indoors was double that of outdoorhoused cows (due to sawdust cost) The Ceres Trust Graduate Student Research Grant

17 Fertility and production of 3-breed and third generation Holstein-sired crossbreds compared to pure Holstein cows in a seasonal pasture production system B. J. Heins*, A. R. Hazel, and L. B. Hansen University of Minnesota, St. Paul University of Minnesota: experimental design 2000 to 2002: ½ bred to Holstein AI sires ½ bred to Jersey AI sires 2003 to 2007: Pure Holsteins bred to Holstein and Montbéliarde AI sires Jersey x Holstein bred to Montbéliarde AI sires Montbéliarde x Holstein bred to Jersey AI sires Montbéliarde x (JH) bred to Holstein AI sires 2008 forward: Viking Red replaced Jersey in a 3-breed rotation Experimental units Jersey x (Montbeliarde/Holstein) Holstein x Jersey x Montbeliarde x 67 Holstein

18 Number of observations Breed Cows Sires Holstein MO x Jersey-Holstein Jersey x MO-Holstein 21 8 HO x MO x JE x HO HO x JE x MO x HO Cows for only the first three lactations Actual 305-day production across lactations Trait Holstein 3-breed 5/8 HO Cows Milk (kg) 7,652 7,069* 7,583 Fat (kg) Protein (kg) Fat + Protein (kg) SCS * p < Clinical mastitis across lactations Days open Breed Clinical mastitis (%) Holstein breed crossbred 35.1* 5/8 Holstein 36.9* * p < 0.05 Mastitis treatment rate across the first three lactations Lactation Holstein 3-breed 5/8 HO Cows Across lactations * st lactation ** 126* 2 nd lactation ** 134* 3 rd lactation ** p < 0.01, * p < 0.05, p <

19 Conclusions Fat plus protein production of 3-breed and 4 th generation crossbred cows was similar to production of pure Holsteins in a seasonal pasture system Results suggest little if any loss of production by adding a third breed into a low-input pasture crossbreeding system Crossbreds have a 3 to 4-week advantage for days open Mating 3-breed crossbreds to Holstein bulls may have advantages in a rotational crossbreeding system Three distinct breeds in likely optimum for crossbreeding Integrating Crops and Livestock in a Systems Approach to Enhance Organic Farm Stability, Safety and Resilience USDA-NIFA-OREI ($1.9 million, UMN-$580,00) Kathlenn Delate ISU (Organic cropping) Bob Turnbull - ISU Angela Shaw ISU (Food safety) Craig Chase ISU Extension (Economics) Brad Heins UMN WCROC Pablo Pagliari UMN SWROC Jeff Moyer Rodale Institute (Pennsylvania) Objectives Establish innovative, integrated, multi-functional organic crop rotations that include legume and grass forages for livestock production, soil-building, and pest cycle disruption; Crop/Pasture Rotation Enhance organic cattle nutrition through a forage-based rotation, as determined by rate of gain, animal health, and specific nutraceutical components (e.g., CLAs); Increase economic returns by reducing costs of production; obtaining organic premium prices for organic crops and livestock; and lowering energy costs through on-farm production of feed and fertility inputs through increased nutrient provision and carbon sequestration Improve post-harvest handling, processing, and food safety practices to enhance the quality of organic plant and animal-based products deriving from this system; and Demonstrate educational tools for farmers, Cooperative Extension, NRCS, and other ag professionals through workshops, Field Days, webinars and social media, utilizing a farmer-centered approach and in coordination with eorganic Communities of Practice.

20 Food Safety and Carcass Quality Brad Heins Effect of two winter housing systems on production, body weight, somatic cell count, BCS and dry matter intake of organic dairy cows Organic outwintering study Evaluate the effect of 2 winter housing systems (December to May 2013 and 2014) on production, SCC, body weight, BCS, and DMI. Two treatments, each with two replicates Indoor (housed in compost-bedded pack barn, bedded with sawdust shavings, fed outside) Outdoor (bedded pack of straw, no overhead shelter, tree windbreaks around north and west) 79 Indoor group bedded as needed Outdoor group bedded as needed, stirred 2X each day Bedding added about every three days 80

21 Outwintering lot Mean temperature ( ) Straw pile ~40 x80 Variable Dec Jan Feb March April Avg. temp (ºF) Hi temp (ºF) Low temp (ºF) Snow (in.) Mean temperature ( ) Outwintering observations Variable Dec Jan Feb March April Avg. temp (ºF) Hi temp (ºF) Low temp (ºF) Snow (in.) Variable Compost Straw pack Cows Holstein Holstein-sired crossbreds Jersey-sired crossbreds Viking Red-sired crossbreds 16 17

22 Bodyweight and BCS Housing Compost Straw pack Bodyweight (lb) 1,157 1,232 BCS Outwintering production Variable Compost Straw pack Cows Milk (lb/day) Fat (lb/day) Fat percent Protein (lb/day) Protein percent Energy-corrected milk (lb/day) Somatic cell score Milk-urea nitrogen Outwintering hygiene Clean bedding results Variable Compost Straw pack Tailhead Upper Leg Lower Leg Belly 1.86 a 1.56 b Udder 1.73 a 1.45 b Hock score 1.02 a 1.11 b Locomotion score Variable Compost Straw pack log (colonies/ml) Bacillus 7.6 a 10.3 b Coliforms Environmental Strep Staph species Total 7.6 a 10.5 b

23 Outwintering bedding cultures Variable Compost Straw pack log (colonies/ml) Bacillus Coliforms 11.8 a 6.5 b Environmental Strep Staph species Total Outwintering feed and bedding Variable Compost Straw pack Daily Intake as-fed (lb/cow/day) Daily DMI (lb/cow/day) Bedding total (lb) 375, ,561 Bedding Cost ($/lb) Total Bedding Cost ($) $16,883 $14,949 Activity and rumination Daily activity and rumination Variable Activity Rumination December 465 a 499 a January 461 a,b 486 b February 487 c 502 a,c March 528 d 462 d April 576 e 499 d Columns with common superscripts are not different (P < 0.05)

24 Daily activity and rumination by supplementation group Daily activity and rumination by housing group Variable Activity 1 Rumination Holstein Holstein-sired Xbred Jersey-sired Xbred Viking Red-sired Xbred Variable Activity 1 Rumination 2 Straw pack 477 a 474 Compost 531 b 495 Columns with common superscripts are not different (P < 0.05) 1 = measured in activity units from SCR Dairy 2 = min/day Columns with common superscripts are not different (P < 0.05) 1 = measured in activity units from SCR 2 = min/day 24-hour activity of outwintered cows 24-hr rumination of outwintered cows

25 WCROC Calf Feeding Calves are fed ONCE per day in groups of 10 (6 liter or 1.6 gal of milk) Skellerup Peach Teat 10-bowl feeder Free-choice grain and water are available at day 3 of age 18% calf grain mixed at WCROC (corn, wheat, soybean meal, soybean oil, minerals) Wean at 60 days Very few health problems (1 or 2 calves/year), Scourgard Calves are outside from birth Feeding frequency in groups Feeding calves is time consuming and labor-oreintated Wisconsin study found calves fed 3X versus 2X Weighed 10 more lbs inches taller Great feed efficiency NAHMS 2007 only 5.4% feeding 2X UK researchers found 1X, 2X, 4X, or 6X feeding had no effects on growth rates WCROC 1x per day in group housing with whole or waster milk x 19 ft unit on skids

26 WCROC Colostrum Quality Cow Brix (> 22) Fall /92 (28%) Spring /144 (64%) Fall /114 (39.5%) Cow Brix Range Fall to 34.9 Spring to 37.5 Fall to

27 WCROC Calf Total Protein Serum protein (>5.0) Fall /65 failed passive transfer (1.5%) Spring /140 failed (6.4%) Fall /111 failed (15.3%) Heifer: 8/50 (16%) Bull: 9/61 (14.8%) WCROC calf study Calves were assigned to groups of 10 by birth order in super hutches. Calves were moved to hutches on day 4 Groups were fed 6 L of 13% total solids unpasteurized milk ONCE or TWICE (3 L/feeding) daily Calves were weaned at either 60 days, based on the youngest calf in the group, and when the group consumption averaged 2 lb of calf starter per day Calf starter cost was $0.28/lb Milk was $30.60/cwt. Labor was $15/hour Calves from 2 seasons 35 heifer calves born Sept to Nov 2013 in Morris, MN 67 heifer calves born March to May 2014 in Morris, MN Genetic groups 1964 Holstein Contemporary Holstein HI-input crossbreds (Holstein, Montbeliarde, Swedish Red) LO-input crossbreds (Holstein, Jersey, Swedish Red, Normande) Once vs. Twice daily feeding Once daily 6 L per calf/day 7am Twice daily 3 L per calf/feeding twice daily 7am and 6 pm Feed choice water and 18% organic calf starter Corn, wheat, soybean oil, minerals

28 Averages for seasons Trait F 13 Spring 14 Birth weight (lb) 77.8 a 86.4 b Weaning weight (lb) Hip height (in) Heart girth (in) d weight (lb) Average daily gain (lb/d) 1.92 a 1.61 b Average daily gain 90-d (lb/d) Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05) Averages for feeding groups Trait Once Twice Birth weight (lb) Time on milk (d) Weaning weight (lb) Hip height (in) Heart girth (in) Weight gain (lb) Average daily gain (lb/d) Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05) Averages for feeding groups Trait Once Twice 90-d weight (lb) d weight (lb) ADG 90-d (lb) ADG 120-d (lb) Double wt. by 60 d (%) Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05) Economic averages for feeding groups Trait Once Twice Grain consumed (lb) Grain consumed 90 d (lb) 2,365 2,291 Milk cost ($) 2, ,659.6 Grain cost ($) Total feed cost ($) 2, ,880.7 Labor cost ($) 245 a 508 b Cost per gain ($/lb) 1.62 a 1.83 b Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05)

29 Averages for behavior 60 Mean lying time of calves by hour Trait Once Twice Lying time (min/d) Standing time (min/d) Lying left side (min/d) Lying right side (min/d) Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05) X 2X Hour Take Home Message Calves are the one of the most important aspects of the dairy and are the future lactating cows in the herd Evaluate colostrum quality and calf serum protein Automatic calf feeders have advantages but require different management Group feeding of calves should be considered over individually housed calves Successful group feeding of dairy calves is enhanced with aggressive suckling during infancy and early consumption of high quality starter 115