Management Practices, Milk Yield, and Feed Cost on Confinement Dairy Farms in Minnesota

Abstract

Eighty-two confinement dairy farms in Minnesota with herd sizes from 142 to 2063 cows were visited between May and December 2015. Management practices were compared between farm sizes with large farms having 425 or greater cows (n=41) and small farms having fewer than 425 cows (n=41). A subset of farms (n=67) using freestalls were used to create linear models to identify herd level management factors associated with energy corrected milk (ECM) yield per cow and feed cost per 45.4 kg of ECM. Some management factors were influenced by herd size. Factors associated with ECM yield per cow were feed mixer type, milking frequency, use of bovine somatotropin, freestall stocking density, and feed cost per cow per day. Factors associated with feed cost per 45.4 kg of ECM were percent target refusals, corn silage hybrid variety, hoof trimming schedule, freestall stocking density, freestall type, and brisket board height.