Good Practices for Managing a Dairy Farm
When managing a dairy farm, one needs to constantly consider what would be the best practices
that will yield maximum profit both in the short and the long run. Profitability is a result of higher
income and lower costs, but also of good dairy farm management.
DAIRY FARM GRAZING SYSTEMS
In dairy farms one of the major expenses is the cow feed. There are three typical grazing practices:
1. Open range: Where the cows graze in open fields throughout the day, receiving water and
minerals in the field.
2. Semi zero-grazing: Where the cows are enclosed some of the time but are released to graze
for a few hours each day.
3. Zero-grazing: Where the cows are housed in barns and the farmer brings the feed and water to
the cows.
Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. A dairy farmer will naturally adopt the grazing
system that will increase his profit margin per cow. But is it really that simple?
In general open range helps reduce input costs, increasing profit per cow. On the other hand open
range grazing provides less control over the nutrient intake resulting in lower milk yield per cow,
when compared with zero grazing.
Most dairy farms in the western world have remained profitable by focusing on attaining higher milk
production per cow, plus a higher volume of milk, by increasing their herd size.
HOUSING
When considering housing for cows, there are a few important factors to consider because these
factors have a direct influence on the health of the cows, and therefore on milk productivity. A
successful housing system takes into account the cows’ behavior when feeding, drinking, lying,
raising and walking.