Profitable feeding of dairy cows on irrigated dairy farms in northern Victoria

Abstract

Milk production per cow and per farm in the irrigated region in northern Victoria have increased dramatically over the past 2 decades. However, these increases have involved large increases in inputs, and average productivity gains on farms have been modest. Before the early 1980s, cows were fed predominantly pasture and conserved fodder. There is now large diversity in feeding systems and feed costs comprise 40–65% of total costs on irrigated dairy farms. This diversity in feeding systems has increased the need to understand the nutrient requirements of dairy cows and the unique aspects of nutrient intake and digestion in cows at grazing. Principles of nutrient intake and supply to the grazing dairy cow from the past 15 years’ research in northern Victoria are summarised and gaps in knowledge for making future productivity gains are identified. Moreover, since the majority of the milk produced in south-eastern Australia is used in the manufacture of products for export, dairy companies have increased their interest in value-added dairy products that better meet nutritional requirements or provide health benefits for humans. Finally, some examples of the impacts of farm system changes on operating profit for some case study farms in northern Victoria are presented to illustrate the need for thorough analysis of such management decisions.