Grazing Dairy Heifers on Meadow Fescue or Orchard-Grass
2020
- University of Wisconsin, Madison, Department of Dairy Science
- University of Wisconsin, Madison, Department of Dairy Science
- USDA Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin
- USDA Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin
- USDA Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin
- USDA Dairy Forage Research Center, Marshfield, Wisconsin
Project Media
Rearing dairy heifers for optimal body weight gains (1.8-2.2 lb/day for Holstein breed) is needed to allow for breeding at 13 months of age and reaching an ideal weight by calving. Heifer rearing costs are significant for a dairy farm ($2.50-3.00/day) with feed costs being about 50% of these costs. With the increased interest in meadow fescue for grazing due to its improved quality, this project’s objective was to evaluate heifer growth, forage yield, and forage quality when grazing either meadow fescue or orchardgrass.