Dairy Initiatives

Dairy

Department of Animal Science

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The Tale of Two Heifer-Raising Systems

Feedlot and management intensive grazing go head to head

MARGOT RUDSTROM
West Central Research and Outreach Center
University of Minnesota, Morris

Roger Imdieke, a custom heifer grower in west-central Minnesota, wanted to know whether growing dairy heifers on pasture would result in adequate gains and be cost effective relative to raising heifers in a feedlot. In spring 2000 University of Minnesota researchers set up an experiment on his farm. Dairy heifers that averaged about 480 pounds were divided into four groups of 36. Two groups were put into the feedlot and two were put onto alfalfa pasture for 145 days, from May 13 through October 5.

The feedlot heifers were fed a TMR diet. The heifers on pasture were rotationally grazed and received some supplementation. Feed and labor were monitored for both systems.
Rates of gain were similar for both systems. The feedlot heifers had an average daily gain (ADG) of 2.00 pounds per head while the pasture heifers had an ADG of 2.04. Two heifers were lost on pasture.

Table 1 shows the costs associated with each system over the 145-day trial. The biggest differences are in feed costs (cost of feed ingredients), machinery costs, and labor. Even if the cost of the fencing and a pasture charge are added to the feed cost for the pasture system, feed costs are still lower than for the feedlot. Labor also cost far less for the pasture system.

The results shown here are for the first year of the trial. The experiment was repeated in 2001. Preliminary results for 2001 indicate again, no significant differences in ADG between feedlot and pasture heifers.

Table 1. Feedlot and management-intensive grazing pasture cost comparisons.

D A I R Y    I n i t i a t i v e s    N E W S L E T T E R
Volume 11    Issue 1    Spring 2002