You post your location at the bottom of your posts, but did not say anything
in the post itself. Your numbers are only good for the Northern US, and
probably not for all of the North.
For example, here a 38 ton yield of corn silage would be complete pie
in the sky. 10-12 tons is a realistic goal and in a dry year that would be
overly optimistic. Instead we have a more moderate climate that lets us
winter outside easily and graze most of the year. What that means is that
the shape of a profitable dairy in the Ozarks will not look like a
profitable dairy in the North. The University of MO has several models of
profitable grazing dairies on its website. They are all seasonal, and none
of them feed corn silage. That said, I have several friends West of here
where corn grows better that do feed corn silage.
My point is that its a big world and what works in one region may not
work somewhere else. The biology of cows does not change with location,
but the economics of feeding them does.
Clay
MO Ozarks
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Gneiser" <bonniedave@dotnet.com>
To: <graze-l@witt.ac.nz>
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2008 11:46 AM
Subject: Re: hay costs
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Clay & Sue McQuiddy" <mcquiddy@getgoin.net>
> He only sees through the lens of Wisconsin. If you live
>> elsewhere, then you should take this into account when reading his posts.
>>
>> Clay
>
> I've regularly posted my location, Clay. WI experiences a 4 season
> climate similar, but not identical in many northern US states. Great cool
> season grass areas and we should consider all options to better utilize
> that asset.
>
> But rumens need energy whether they're in MO or MI. Neither MO, MI, NY
> nor WI are NZ. WI, being a major dairy state, has the blessing of many
> cattle studies and strong UW Ag. Depts. If you ever have the opportunity
> to hear Dr. David Combs, he provides many eye openers on feeding both
> confinement and grazing cattle.
>
> Dave G.
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