Economics of Grazing Organic Replacement Dairy Heifers
This webinar by Ryan Feuz and Ryan Larsen of Utah State University took place on April 22, 2020.
Previous research shows that high sugar grasses and birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) monocultures have potential to increase dry matter intact and/or animal performance. However, the economic impact of using high-energy grasses planted in mixture with BFT for a grazing forage among organic dairy cattle has not been studied. There are many altruistic motivations for a dairy farm to engage in organic production practices (environmental, animal welfare, rural sociology, human health, e.g.), but very few dairy farmers can afford NOT to consider economic aspects of organic production as well. In this webinar, we discuss what the expected net annual financial impact would be for organic replacement dairy heifer operation using high-energy grasses and the tannin-containing legume BFT as its primary source of grazing forage. The financial impact is benchmarked against a conventional operation that feeds a total mixed ration (TMR) in a dry lot.
The first two webinars in this series can be found on the eOrganic YouTube channel:
Effects of Different Organic Pastures on Heifer Growth and Development
A webinar on forage legumes and inter-seeding takes place on March 19, 2020. Here's the link to register for that one.
About the Presenters
Dr. Ryan Feuz is a Post-doctoral Researcher in the Department of Applied Economics at Utah State University. His primary research interests include pasture and range management, livestock and dairy economics, and agricultural finance. He also teaches courses in firm marketing & price analysis and economic strategy.
Dr. Ryan Larsen is an Extension Economist in the Department of Applied Economics at Utah State University. He specializes in farm and risk management. He teaches courses in agricultural finance, risk management, and decision analysis.