University of Illinois Extension

Illini DairyNet Papers

Great Lakes Grazing Network Dairy Financial Field Study
James G. Endress
08/05/2002

TAKE HOME MESSAGES

  • Economic data is being collected from grazing dairy farmers.
  • A database of this economic data will be developed to use in making reliable comparative management decisions
  • Illinois dairy farms using intensive grazing systems are invited to participate.

Illinois is participating in a specially funded project to assist grazing dairy farmers by providing reliable and credible economic data for their use in comparative and managerial decision-making. This project is funded through 2003. The first phase of the project is the creating of a multi-state/province economic database of grazing dairy farms. Participating states and provinces are Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Iowa, and Ontario, Canada.

During the funded period the project will include the initial pilot group of 100 to 300 managed intensive grazing (MIG) dairy farms. Financial data will be collected, analyzed, summarized, and disseminated to participating farm families, teachers, researchers, extension workers and lenders so the general knowledge is available for new starting-up farmers. This database will be updated with new farm information and update summaries as they become available. Summary data will also be available via the Internet. Groups of six or more farms can have a group summary. Licensed users can enter data and receive reports on their own desktop computer via the Internet.

There are a number of different definitions for grazing. The following statements describe farmers who are participating in this project.

  1. Dairy cows are moved to fresh pasture at least every third day.
  2. Farmers attempt to harvest 30 percent of annual forage needs by grazing.
  3. Dairy farming is the primary farming enterprise as determined by 85 percent of gross sales or milk sales and dairy livestock sales combined are 90 percent or your gross farm income.

If you are interested in having your farm included in this project or if you are looking for information about this project, contact Jim Endress by phone at (815) 397-7714.