Abstract
The case for grazing dairy cows at pasture is reviewed in six categories: (i) optimal land use for food production; (ii) soil carbon sequestration; (iii) carbon footprint; (iv) animal health and welfare; (v) effects on human health of milk produced from grazed pasture; and (vi) consumer demand for milk from grazed cows. Land best-suited to grazing is uncultivatable peaty soil receiving relatively low levels of fertilisation. With soil carbon sequestration, carbon footprint is lower for grazing than for other systems of milk production. Some indices of animal health and welfare (e.g., lameness, status of hock integument) are influenced positively by extent of grazing. Benefits to human health may accrue from higher levels of essential amino acids, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid in milk from cows given pasture compared to diets based on silage and concentrates. Milk producers, processors and supermarkets are responding to consumer demand for milk and milk products from cows given access to pasture during the grazing season. The major constraint to milk production from grazing is energy intake. Research opportunities to address this constraint include application of remote sensing and artificial intelligence to grazing management.
Highlights
There has been a trend in recent decades away from grazing, towards housed systems of milk production [1]
In the 20-year period between 1990 and 2010, annual production of silage in the UK increased by 1 million tonnes of dry matter (DM) and production of compounds and blends increased by 0.6 million tonnes of DM [2]
The case for grazing dairy cows is considered under six headings: (i) optimal land use for food production; (ii) soil carbon sequestration; (iii) carbon footprint; (iv) animal health and welfare; (v) effects on human health of milk produced from grazed pasture; and (vi) consumer demand for milk from grazed cows
Summary
There has been a trend in recent decades away from grazing, towards housed systems of milk production [1]. The rate of increase in compound and blend production per cow over the period 1990 to 2018 was greater than the rate of increase in milk production per cow, indicating decreased inputs of forage per cow [4,5] Against this trend, some dairy farmers have followed developments in Ireland and. The economic implications of the decline in reliance on pasture were discussed in detail by Hurley and Murphy [6] in relation to Ireland and by Beca [7] for Australia and other milk exporting countries They concluded that changes in production system away from high levels of pasture utilisation increased cost of feed per litre of milk, which was a major factor accounting for reduced profitability and, in the case of Australia, decreased total national annual milk output. Major constraints to milk production from grazed dairy cows are reviewed together with some research and development opportunities created by recent technological advances
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