Less Stress, More Grass by Managing Holistically ⋆ Savory Institute

Case Study

Less Stress, More Grass by Managing Holistically

By: Phyllis Van Amburgh and Sheila Cooke

Key Takeaways

Organic dairy farm, Dharma Lea, experienced economic, social, and ecological benefits when making the switch from rotational grazing to Holistic Planned Grazing. Improvements over three years included:

A 120% increase in the number of grazing days per year, from 76 days to 167 days per year, which translates into an annual savings of $27,300.
A drop in feed cost from 60% to 48% of the total cost of production.
Improved profitability with a gross margin of 41%.
Increased carrying capacity of the land, with a 68% increase in grass harvested by cattle on pasture.
A significant improvement in livestock health, with a key indicator – mastitis – dropping from 73% to 3% within the herd.
Improved milk quality, with a 10% increase in total milk solids.
Improved quality of life for the entire family, including more time to spend together, more wildlife to enjoy, a sense of community, and a lot less stress.
Improved financial position, enabling the family to purchase an additional farm that would triple the size of their land, provide a new family home, and allow expansion of the herd and milking parlor.

Summary

Dharma Lea is a diversified, 230 acre (93 ha) farm that is managed holistically, and is certified organic with 100% grassfed dairy cattle at its base. About 150 acres (61 ha) are dedicated to grazing, and 80 acres (32 ha) are dedicated to small grains and corn combined with cover crops used in the rotation to improve soil quality for forage production such as hay and haylage.

Located in upstate New York, USA, this case study details the steps Paul and Phyllis Van Amburgh took to improve the management of their land and dairy operation, with specifics on how they used the Holistic Management framework to make important decisions.