Evaluation of sprouted barley fodder production systems on organic dairy farms in temperate regions of the United States

Authors: Soder, Kathy; HEINS, BRADEY - University Of Minnesota; CHESTER-JONES, HUGH - University Of Minnesota; HAFLA, AIMEE - Agri Food - Canada; RUBANO, MELISSA - Consultant

Submitted to: Proceedings of International Symposium on the Nutrition of Herbivores
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2018
Publication Date: 9/2/2018
Citation: Soder, K.J., Heins, B., Chester-Jones, H., Hafla, A., Rubano, M. 2018. Evaluation of sprouted barley fodder production systems on organic dairy farms in temperate regions of the United States. Proceedings of International Symposium on the Nutrition of Herbivores. P. 1.

Interpretive Summary: No interpretive summary is needed for this Abstract Only. JLB.

Technical Abstract: Take home Message Producing high-quality forage is more economical than producing fodder for US organic dairy farms Introduction Organic dairy farmers have shown increased interest in growing sprouted barley fodder in temperate regions of the United States where producing high-quality forage has become more challenging due to changing weather patterns and a decline in availability of arable land (Griffin et al., 2014). Increasing costs of grain, a desire to eliminate grain supplements, and an interest in alternative forages have also been cited by dairy farmers considering using sprouting technology. High-profile claims by manufacturers marketing sprouted grain systems have also fuelled interest. However, little scientific evidence is currently available to support these claims. Previous research indicates that benefits of sprouting may be negated by net DM loss from sprouting coupled with no significant improvement in nutrient concentrations or digestibility (Hafla et al., 2014). Currently, no information is available regarding the feeding value of sprouted grain with high-quality forages such as the conserved forages and pastures found on well-managed organic dairy farms in temperate regions of the United States. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and challenges of implementing sprouted barley systems on organic dairy farms. Material and methods: Three experiments were conducted: 1) 5 grains [barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oats (Avena sativa), wheat (Triticum spp.), rye (Secale cereal), and triticale (× Triticosecale)] were sprouted for 7 d to evaluate biomass yield, nutritional quality and mould growth; 2) lactating dairy cows fed TMR were supplemented with either no fodder or 1.4 kg DM of fodder to evaluate DMI, milk production, milk composition and fatty acid profile, and net income over feed costs (IOFC); and 3) in a case study, monthly farm visits were made to three certified organic dairy farms in Pennsylvania for 1 yr to evaluate feasibility and challenges of implementing a sprouted barley system. The sprouting and lactating cow studies were analysed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Due to the nature of the case study and the inconsistent data collection due to farmer input and discontinuation of fodder feeding on 2 of the farms during the study, statistical analysis was not feasible. Rather, case study data were transferred to Microsoft Excel files, summarized and included as supporting information regarding practical information from farmers in making decisions relative to fodder feeding. Results & Discussion In the sprouting study, barley showed the greatest (P < 0.05) biomass yield and lowest (P < 0.05) mould score. This information, combined with accessibility of barley seed in the United States, makes barley one of the most popular seeds for sprouting. In the lactating cow study, cows (n = 36) fed fodder had reduced (P < 0.05) DMI compared to cows not fed fodder. Fodder did not affect (P > 0.05) milk yield or fatty acid profile. Cows fed fodder had greater (P < 0.05) MUN which was probably a result of greater CP concentration and digestibility of fodder compared with the grain supplement for which the fodder was substituted. The IOFC favoured not feeding fodder by $0.22 USD/cow/d. In a sensitivity analysis, IOFC did not favour fodder feeding until grain prices were increased by 50% over current prices. However, IOFC does not entirely capture the total economics of the fodder systems because labour, cost of production, and the initial investment in the fodder system are not included in the analysis. In the case study, two of the case study farms ceased feeding fodder during data collection, citing mould issues, inability to source high-quality certified organic barley seed (free of mould and impurities), high maintenance costs of fodder systems, greater than expected labour requiremen