Dairy cattle grazing on the Voortman dairy in the Yakama Vally P rior to the change to grazing, Voortman had operated the dairy for maximum milk production and type. H e maintains the breeding and the registration on the herd even though milk output is now closer to 20,000 lb. Those genetics figure well into the marketing plan. We're now able to market bred, aged cows that are three to eight years old to make room for the into the herd. B eing able to sell the aged animals as registered milking cows instead of as culls for slaughter improves the market value of the livestock being sold.
Buyers come back to get animals they know are healthy and ready to milk.
Marketing some heifers every year also is a lucrative venue. W e're going to stick with purebred Holsteins in the grazing program. You have to look at the overall business when you make decisions. V oortman adds that grazing improves the environmental atmosphere of dairy farming. Spreading the animals out reduces the expense and liability of manure disposal.