Dairies and grasses make profitable mix

By DAVY MOSELEY | Country World East Texas

June 21, 2001 -- Jamie and Barry Shaw, of Waltex Farms, a grazing dairy operation in Edom, were the hosts of a June 6 Extension-sponsored dairy tour. The purpose of this tour was for local producers to get together and share ideas on what works for them.

Additional dairy tours are to be scheduled at other area dairy operations. Watch the Country Calendar for upcoming events.

The primary focus of the June 6 tour was managing grass during the transition period from cool season to warm season grasses.

"You don't have to agree with what we're doing here (at Waltex Farms). Maybe the only reason I'm doing something the way I am is that I don't know another way. That's what these meetings are all about, to share ideas," the New Zealand native said.

Shaw, who built the New Zealand-style grazing operation in 1995, said his best year for milk production was in 1997-1998 with 16,300 pounds of milk per cow from 300 head. But, with the problems associated with extreme weather conditions the last few years, the dairy's production figures haven't met projections.

"We thought we'd really made it when we hit 70 pounds per cow, but instead it was a nightmare. There were so many problems, (such as udder problems and mastitis), that it just wasn't worth it," Shaw relayed.

"Grazing is a good way to dairy in Texas, but not the only way. You need the weather to cooperate, and when it doesn't, that's the Achilles heel of this type of dairying," Shaw said.

"Our goal for the next two years is to get back to milking 300 head with a 16,000 pound average while maintaining a closed herd. I think this is an achievable and sustainable production level for grazing operations in East Texas," Shaw said. "We would also like to go to a seasonal operation."

During the walk-about tour, Shaw pointed out the poor showing of Coastal bermudagrass in his paddocks.

"We've had a lot of trouble with the Coastal so far this year. There just has not been a smooth transition from the winter grasses to the warm-season grasses."

Van Zandt County Extension Agent Brian Cummins was on hand to address why the grasses are not producing normally.

Cummins explained that many of the root systems of these grasses, particularly Coastal bermudagrass, have died the last few years, and the surviving runners have not had adequate time to become well rooted. Additionally, when grass is heavily grazed, cows tend to uproot runners as they graze.

Johnny Cates, a retired Extension agent from Wood County, recommended Shaw apply extra potassium to his Coastal bermudagrass paddocks.

"The more potassium you have the more rhizomes you have. Rhizomes is what counts with Coastal, because more rhizomes means more leaves."

Maintaining a good stand of forage is obviously the most important goal for any grazing dairy operation, but Shaw has found that there are benefits to feeding a mixed ration every day - even on an East Texas grazing operation.

First of all, compared to New Zealand, feed in the United States is very inexpensive. And since domestic Holsteins are not known for producing large amounts of butterfat, a small amount of feed goes a long way in keeping the butterfat content up. Adversely, in New Zealand, Holsteins, referred to as Fresians, are smaller cattle and produce more milk, with a higher butterfat and protein content, on virtually no feed at all.

Shaw is known far and wide in dairy circles as an adamant supporter of grazing operations. So it's no surprise that he caught a little good-natured heat from the gathered dairy producers when he let it slip about the feed mixer wagon he bought recently.

"The weather just hasn't been cooperating the last few years. I wasn't getting as much grass as I would have liked, so I broke down and bought a feed wagon," Shaw admitted. "I started using it and cost (of production) went up, labor went up, but milk production didn't really change. Maybe I wasn't doing it right. I keep it parked behind the barn or the trees so no one knows I have it."