Iowa dairyman pleased with grass-fed niche

High-quality forage is important for any dairy but none so much as a so-called grass-fed dairy where grasses and legumes make up 100% of the ration.

Jeremy Peake of Waukon, Iowa, has been producing grass-fed milk for Organic Valley dairy cooperative since 2014 and shared his experiences on a recent Iowa State University Dairy News & Views podcast.

“We always had a grazing herd, but I never thought we’d be able to sell grass-fed milk without getting into direct marketing,” Peake said. “When Organic Valley started their grass-fed program, I was excited to get involved.”

Larry Tranel, an extension dairy specialist with Iowa State, noted that there are some differences in the industry of how grass-fed milk is defined. In Peake’s case, there is no grain or seed allowed in the ration, so any corn silage, for example, must be earless. In return, he is paid a premium for his grass-fed milk, which is currently in high demand relative to supply.

Peake explained that the grass-fed market evolved when Whole Foods requested the specialty milk from Organic Valley. The product was tested in California and then expanded from there. Consumers perceive that grass-fed milk has some health benefits related to its conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content, Tranel added.

Forage quality reigns

Peake emphasized the need for high-quality forages in a totally grass-fed system, since that will be the source of all protein and energy needs. This means grazing pastures before they become too mature and cutting hay for winter feeding that will sustain milk production. Peake harvests his mixed legume-grass as baleage.

“We didn’t have a large drop in milk production when we went 100% grass-fed, but that’s probably because we weren’t feeding a lot grain before that,” Peake noted. “Our calves were already on a forage diet, so that didn’t change at all. The one big difference we did find is that we fed a lot more forage during the winter, so you have to expect the need for more stored feed. It seems that even dropping a few pounds of corn out of the ration requires more than a few extra pounds of forage,” he added.

Tranel mentioned his experience has been that the drop in milk production when converting to a totally grass-fed system can be variable from one cow to the next, ranging from essentially no decline to nearly 50%. He attributes that range to a cow’s genetics.

Not a big leap

Peake said that he has always had a low-input dairy, so his milk production wasn’t exceptionally high when he made the shift. He uses a lot of Jersey genetics in his 40-cow herd but has also experimented with crossbreeding. Currently, he’s using some Normandy genetics to get a bit more flesh on the cows. “I want short-statured cows with a lot of capacity and good feet and legs,” he said.

“We have about two acres per cow, but I use some of that acreage to make first-cut baleage and set up my grazing wedge,” Peake explained. “Other than occasionally applying potassium sulfate, most of the fertility comes from the cows’ manure.”

Needless to say, forage is the backbone of Peake’s operation. In a severe drought year like 2023, the dairyman noted that he had to feed a lot of stored forage during the summer when his pastures dried up. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen too often. Peake said that he has started adding more alfalfa to his grazing mix to bolster production during dry periods. “Even though grazing cows may not always prefer alfalfa if other options are available, they don’t seem to mind it when there’s nothing else to eat,” he asserted.

Tranel said that moving to a grass-fed system will require next-level management. “You can cover a lot of sins with grain, but that option is no longer available. Having high-quality forages is a requirement, not an option.”

Peake followed Tranel’s comments by saying that you can’t force cattle to eat what they don’t want. If his cows won’t clean up the hay or baleage being offered, he cleans it out of the bunk and feeds it to the heifers. The dairyman also prefers to feed different types of baleage at the same time so his cows have a choice. “You have to keep cows spoiled all winter, and bunk management is important,” he said. “If you just put a bale out in a ring and wait for them to eat it, you’re going to be disappointed.”

Peake is satisfied with his current system. “For now, the plan is to keep going as we have been,” he said. “Eventually we’d like to get up to 50 cows, but it’s been good for us, and I enjoy this type of dairying.”

Tranel concluded by saying that he has helped develop a model grass-fed dairy for the northeast U.S. He thinks the system is one that more people should consider, especially if they are just starting or are already in a grass-based system.