Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #331684
Title: How well does pasture meet the nutrient needs of dairy cows

Author
item Soder, Kathy
item HAFLA, AIMEE - Agri-King, Inc

Submitted to: Extension Fact Sheets
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/6/2016
Publication Date: 8/6/2016
Citation: Soder, K.J., Hafla, A. 2016. How well does pasture meet the nutrient needs of dairy cows. Extension Fact Sheets. P. 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Little research has evaluated the nutritional content of pastures relative to nutrient needs of grazing dairy cows. We conducted a study to determine how frequently pastures in the northeastern U.S. met nutrient requirements of lactating dairy cows and to describe a sample of the feeding strategies accompanying grazing on these farms. Nutritional quality of pastures was generally high, with energy as the most limiting dietary component, which can be corrected with energy supplementation. High quality pasture and diverse supplementation strategies allow farmers to use resources such as pasture and homegrown forages and grains to meet goals of milk production for their farm. Previous research has confirmed that some degree of supplementation of grazing dairy cows will result in a profitable increase in milk production, however it is important to recognize that markets currently exist that pay premiums for value-added milk products (such as grass-fed milk) which may negate the economic benefits of supplementation.