Pasture feeding or cowshed feeding - which is more economical?

• Published in: Agrarforschung Schweiz Vol. 2; no. 9
• Main Authors: Gazzarin, Ch., Forschungsanstalt Agroscope Reckenholz-Taenikon ART, Ettenhausen (Switzerland), Frey, H.-J, Petermann, R, Höltschi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: 01.09.2011
• Subjects: ALIMENTACION EN ESTABULACION; ALIMENTATION A L'ETABLE; BOVIN; BOVIN LAITIER; CALCUL; CALCULATION; CALCULO; CATTLE; COSTOS; COSTS; COUT; DAIRY CATTLE; ECONOMIA; ECONOMICS; ECONOMIE; ESTACIONES DEL ANO; GANADO BOVINO; GANADO DE LECHE; GRAZING SYSTEMS; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_1391; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_1922; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_2108; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_2481; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_24857; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_3367; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_4829; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_50119; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_5604; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_6911; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_7558; INDOOR FEEDING; MILK PRODUCTION; PARTO; PARTURITION; PRODUCCION LECHERA; PRODUCTION LAITIERE; SAISON; SEASONS; SISTEMAS DE PASTOREO; SUISSE; SUIZA; SWITZERLAND; SYSTEME DE PATURAGE
• ISSN: 1663-7852

In a System comparison of milk production in Hohenrain two dairy cattle herds on an identical land area were compared over three years in different production systems. Higher individual livestock yield and intensive cowshed feeding characterised the cowshed herd system, while the pasture herd was managed with permanent access to pasture and seasonal calving under largely homogenous conditions.[...] The consistent reduction of important external cost items (e.g. fodder concentrate, silage maize) affected income more favourably than the focus on higher milk revenue using increased livestock yields and intensive cowshed feeding. This is particularly true if lower milk prices cannot be offset by lower purchase prices for fodder concentrate or services (contractors). The latter variable cost items have a considerable impact on the costs of the cowshed herd and can only be compensated for by a reduction in fixed structural costs (machinery, buildings, labour), aided by a considerable expansion in production. As a rule, however, such an expansion in production incurs follow-up costs.