Breneman Farms, Inc.

Discoveries on a Grass-Based Dairy

Entered Discovery Farms Program:
2002

Location:
South-Central Wisconsin, Columbia County

Family:
Bob and Karen Breneman

Enterprises:
Milk; grass based, management intensive grazing dairy

Research Opportunities:
This farm was chosen to represent medium sized grass-based dairies in Wisconsin that out-winter dairy cattle.

The Breneman farm consists of 200 acres of open pastureland, divided into 42 paddocks which are planted and managed to achieve a 75 percent grass and 25 percent legume mix. Paddocks are intensively managed with break fences utilizing a management intensive grazing (MIG) forage system.

The landscape on the farm is gently sloping glaciated uplands comprised of sandy soils formed in glacial till. Paddocks range from 1-9 percent slopes on soils that have low moisture holding capacity and are subject to seasonal drought. Increasing soil fertility is important in this soil type and landscape. These soils require careful management to minimize wind erosion as well as nitrogen leaching.

Forage management and animal movement into paddocks varies based on seasonal plant growth. Depending on paddock size, their 80 crossbred dairy cows graze for 12-36 hours per paddock. After the cows move on to a fresh paddock, heifers move into the paddock vacated by the cows for another 12-36 hours of "clean up" grazing. Grazed paddocks receive approximately a 30-day rest. This management intensive grazing (MIG) system results in a stocking density of 1.6 acres per mixed animal unit.

The dairy herd and replacements spend the majority of their time grazing within the paddock system, depositing manure as they graze. Older replacements and mature cows are out-wintered on selected paddocks.

Monitoring in Place:
One edge-of-field surface water monitoring station was placed at the lower end of a set of paddocks used to graze and out-winter dairy cattle. On-farm water quality monitoring was conducted to measure sediment and nutrient loads in runoff water from paddocks that are used for regular rotational grazing and are then used again to out-winter the dairy herd. The monitored watershed is 28 acres in size.

Slideshow of Breneman Farm Pictures

Publications related to this farm:

View Slideshow of Breneman Farm Presentations

Grazing Based Dairy Systems
Farm Site and Study Design
Equipment, Procedures and Sampling
Understanding Surface Water Runoff
Sediment and Nutrient Loss from an Outwinter paddock Area
MIG and Groundwater Quality
DMI and Manure Production for MIG Dairy Cattle

Related Materials

10 Documents


BF. Breneman Farms Project Summary: Discoveries on a Grass-Based Dairy System File (8 pages) An article summarizing nutrient runoff data performed on a grass-based Wisconsin dairy farm by UW Discovery Farms and its on farm research. It was published in the Country Today, Ag Review and Wisconsin State Farmer.
BF1. Summary of Information Available for Breneman Farms Brief (2 pages) Information available on Breneman Farms, a Wisconsin dairy producer who participated in UW Discovery Farms and its on-farm research.
BF2. Grazing Based Dairy Systems Brief (1 page) Presentation (25 pages) Factsheet (2 pages) A description of grazing based dairy systems and Wisconsin's grazing seasons.
BF3. Farm, Site and Study Design Brief (2 pages) Presentation (23 pages) Factsheet (4 pages) Discovery a grazing Wisconsin dairy farm operation and why UW Discovery Farms performed water and nutrient runoff research.
BF4. Equipment, Procedures and Sampling Brief (2 pages) Presentation (26 pages) Factsheet (4 pages) Describes the watershed layout and the sample collection and maintenance of the monitoring stations.
BF5. Understanding Surface Water Runoff at Breneman Farms Brief (2 pages) Presentation (28 pages) Factsheet (4 pages) Learn about the water budget for Breneman Farms, information needed and gathered by UW Discovery Farms to further understand nutrient runoff data.
BF6. Sediment and Nutrient Loss from an out-winter paddock area on a grass- based dairy. Brief (2 pages) Presentation (34 pages) Factsheet (6 pages) Sediment and nutrient loss on the Breneman Farm for the 2006 and 2007 field years. UW Discovery Farms used this research for improving soil fertility on grass-based Wisconsin dairy farms and to reduce these losses.
BF7. Management Intensive Grazing and Groundwater Quality: Nitrogen Brief (2 pages) Presentation (43 pages) Denitrification and groundwater reactions caused by nutrient runoff.
BF8. Management Intensive Grazing and Water Quality: Phosphorus Brief (2 pages) Presentation (43 pages) Factsheet (6 pages) Soil and groundwater reactions to organic and inorganic phosphorus.
BF9. Dry Matter Intake and Manure Production for Management Intensively Grazed Dairy Cattle Brief (2 pages) Presentation (37 pages) Factsheet (6 pages) Study conclusions and results reached by the UW Discovery Farms on farm research.