Sustainability is quite the buzzword for consumers and producers alike, but the intention is not always the same. Producers have long been focused on the longevity of their business, but sustainability in the sense of environmental impact is a relatively new concept in management decisions. Choosing the best practices for sustainable outcomes will vary from farm to farm, but ultimately the goals must be financially sound for any lasting impact to occur.
Sustainable management practices that ensure the success of your operation are probably as straightforward as it gets. Operational efficiency is usually limited or maximized by the labor force and culture on farm. Using emerging technology is one of the easiest ways to improve overall farm efficiency but it comes at a price. Stagnation is the enemy in a world of quickly improving technologies. Gradual adoption and continued learning can help integrate new tools without overwhelming the current system.
Efficiency can be improved by many different methods (just ask the next sales rep who walks into the office), but oftentimes it is just going back to the basics. Using correct dry matters for forages, checking feeder accuracy, or working to optimize rations to a greater extent are all actionable steps that producers can take to begin working towards a more sustainable operation. It might be the fundamentals of dairy management but sometimes taking the time to think about the “basics” is the best place to begin in improving sustainability.
The most important and most limited resource needed for a dairy to stay in business is water. Although it might be a semi-regional degree of urgency, the particularly significant role of water management remains critical to most farms’ long-term success. Long term goals for soil health and water management will help make smart decisions that will continue to be sustainable over time. It is easy to push for the bigger and better yields year after year crop after crop. But what happens when the soil is depleted of all nutritive value? Practices such as no till, limited till, cover crops and more robust crop rotation are all important for farming sustainability. Also, the significant impact of smart nutrient management strategies utilizing manure from animal operations is pivotal.
Additionally, it is time to start thinking about creative forage options in lactating rations. With quickly improving plant genetics and the possibility of better berry processing, sorghum varieties certainly are a growing part of the solution to the question of what to feed dairy cows when irrigation resources render corn difficult if not impossible. As with most sustainable practices, it takes a great deal of discipline to make farming choices that could seemingly slow down production today to ensure the ability keep producing decades into the future.
Most sustainable practices up to this point in time have long-term results that are vitally important but sometimes hard to quantify. Carbon markets are changing the game. Regardless of individual viewpoints on climate policy and practices, the conversation around carbon emissions and methane mitigation is a turning point for the dairy industry.
Digesters and methane-reducing feed additives present exciting opportunities, particularly for diversifying income streams. Digesters are relatively clear-cut with contracts in place and the dairy is primarily tasked with providing enough manure to keep them running. It is important to think about proper manure management while creating fertilizer for fields and to keep in mind that too much of a good thing can quickly become a problem. Over spreading manure compost could be detrimental to soil health.
In a quickly evolving space, methane mitigation strategies such as feed additives are beginning to show just how much potential there is for dairy to meet the demand for carbon reduction. Consumer packaged goods companies are in the market for carbon reduction claims and dairies have the opportunity to be the main provider for them. Farms implementing this strategy are ready to take on higher risk for higher reward as the cost of producing carbon credits can get expensive, but the potential for a profitable outcome is undeniable. Meticulous record keeping and precise feed management practices will be the key for farms looking to tap into the feed additive methane reduction space. For carbon credits to retain their value, farms must be willing to jump through the hoops of verification and audits that will undoubtedly accompany this revenue stream.
Sustainability begins at the farm and scales to the industry. Making management decisions for the longevity of the cows and the soil will inevitably result in sustainable dairy businesses. Good operational efficiency, natural resource preservation, and utilization of new technologies will all be parts of the comprehensive solution to sustainability for producers and consumers alike. Little by little, a little becomes a lot.
