Comparison of zero concentrate supplementation with different quantities of concentrates in terms of production, animal health, and profitability of organic dairy farms in Austria

• DOI: 10.1007/s13165-014-0077-z
• Publication Date: 2014-09-12T14:42:50Z
• Authors: P. Ertl; W. Knaus; A. Steinwidder
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0402 animal and dairy science; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences

Feeding grain-based concentrates to dairy cows is linked to a number of negative aspects, such as animal health concerns and ethical concerns regarding the feeding of food edible for humans to ruminants. This study investigated farms where no concentrates have been fed to dairy cows for a period of several years. Basic data from eight Austrian organic dairy farms where no concentrates were fed (C0) was collected for the years 2010 and 2011. This data was compared with results from 131 and 140 Austrian organic dairy farms included in a federal program (milk production working group) for the years 2010 and 2011, respectively. These farms were divided into three groups, depending on the amount of concentrates (fresh matter basis) fed per cow annually (WG1, up to 975 kg; WG2, 976–1400 kg; WG3, more than 1400 kg). Energy-corrected milk yield increased from 5093 kg in C0 to 6828 kg in WG3. Calculated milk yield per cow from forage, however, decreased from 5083 kg (C0) to 4412 kg (WG3). Veterinary costs were lower on farms without concentrate supplementation. Insemination index and non-return rate did not differ between groups. The calving interval, however, was prolonged in C0 when compared to WG3 (410 for C0 and 388 days for WG3, P = 0.026). Although milk yield was lowest in C0, no differences in the marginal income (revenues minus direct costs) per cow could be found. In conclusion, this data showed that animal health and profitability were not negatively affected on farms without concentrate supplementation.