Soaring demand for organic 100% grass-fed (OGF) dairy products has impelled organic dairy farmers to attempt transition to OGF. Current and aspiring OGF producers face challenges in maintaining the quantity and quality of forage needed to sustain milk production and meet this demand while managing costs for economic viability.

This project aimed to identify critical OGF management practices to optimize herd and environmental health, economic viability, milk quality, and marketing success. Studies included:
(1) A survey of 167 OGF dairy farmers to identify current production practices, producer knowledge, and agronomic and socioeconomic factors impacting milk production.
(2) Production and economic benchmarking with about 30 farms.
(3) Whole-farm nutrient balancing and fertilizer trials on a few selected farms.
(4) Forage trials and rumen simulation studies to identify forages that enhance production and reduce environmental impacts.
(5) Milk quality evaluation by tasting panel.

Findings include:

• Higher production from Holstein versus Jersey or other breeds.
• Intensive pasture rotations, and molasses or kelp feed supplements boost production.
• Reduced enteric methane from forage mixes with sorghum-sudangrass, pearl millet, or perennial ryegrass versus alfalfa + orchard grass.
• High sorghum-sudangrass yields in a drought while millet and ryegrass failed.
• Organic dairies that import forages and feed grain accrue nutrient surpluses while OGF dairies without off-farm inputs risk soil nutrient depletion.
• In a follow-up survey, project outcomes helped OGF farmers improve economic viability (50%), milk quality (38%) and production (13%).