Market Farming

["Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>]

> An article in a recent issue of Stockman Grass Farmer reported
> Dr. Dhiman as
> saying that the grain feeding suppression is a permanent
> condition where as
> the hay or low quality forage is a temporary condition.

I did not get the impression that the CLA levels can not recover at all.
They are depressed with only slight grain feeding at the same time you are
on grass. But almost all dairy farms feed many times the grain that we do
and still have elevated CLA in the milk if they are on grass. We will
probably try and have the beef lab analyzed maybe several times next year to
see how we do. The only other way is to go to a very hardy beef that is
still of English heritage. But it will not be possible to get the consistent
tenderness. Maybe we could go to a nearly all ground beef approach. We have
considered that too.

> The more I study and learn from workshops about the parasite concerns, the
> more convinced I am that it is better to manage for parasites with forage
> height and availability than with pharmaceuticals.

How can you do it? You either grass or clip the sward after a paddock is
grazed, then the sward regrows. The L4 larvae climb up the stems to the
leaves and are especially viable in the dew drops and are ingested by the
livestock.

> If young animals are
> treated during weaning and development, they do not have as much
> opportunity
> to develop a natural immunity to the parasites.

What scientific studies are you aware of that I am not? I would say that
scientific studies show the opposite effect. The animals that are damaged
when young, can never fully reach their potential. Which is why I have a
problem with organic when it comes to dairy animals. With some beef it can
be done with less suffering of the animal, but they will not gain as well.

> We contend that
> if parasite
> control becomes necessary it should be deferred to after the
> animal reaches
> full maturity.

Again, this is contrary to my understanding from actual science. The older
animals typically are able to withstand the onslaught of the parasites. They
still have them, of course, but they can handle it fairly well by the time
they reach at least on year of age.

> Holding the animals in a lot or on a sacrificial
> paddock for
> 24-48 hours depending on the type of treatment can reduce the
> harm caused by
> the chemicals passing into the manure stream.

This would be true, and if you could get a breakdown product to dissipate,
it may be possible to drastically lower the chemical going on the the
remainder of the farm. The only thing is that it would be much more
concentrated. But it would be a good thing to propose for study.

Brahmin genetics in our area would not be good due to the cold weather (not
to mention that they are listed as one of the toughest meat), but in your
southern environment they could work very well.

> Our farm profit lies in low input costs.  With an intensive
> grazing system,
> we have increased our animal health, increased conception rate, lowered
> stress, and improved total annual pounds of beef produced.  We
> are in one of
> the better grass areas of the country also.

Not to mention no need for shelter. We still need to provide for those few
days of below zero temps or wind chill, especially  with any precipitation.
If we were starting from scratch here it would not be economically possible
for us to do it, but the farms here come with some buildings if they were
dairy. And 99% of them were dairy:)

Sincerely,

Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Dairy heifers and dairy beef graziers
Viroqua, WI

www.mistyridgefarm.com