Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Project outreach goals include reaching and disseminating practical research-based information derived from the project to no fewer than 1000 organic dairy farmers, organic certifiers, technical service providers, and milk buyers across the United States. The expectation is that outreach efforts will ultimately serve to expand and enhance the ability of producers and the related support industry to grow and market high quality grass-fed milk. To reach our target audiences, we will reach out to farmers and other stakeholders with whom we have established relationships through our previous OREI projects and ongoing Extension activities. In addition, press announcements will be developed in advance of each outreach activity including the on-farm workshops, conferences, and webinars. These will be distributed through traditional media outlets, as well as project partner social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We will also use popular agriculture communication channels, especially those that attract organic farmers and those who work with them, such as Odairy (an email listserv serving the organic dairy industry with a membership of more than 500 farmers and others) and organic and sustainable agriculture associations. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One graduate student and one technial received training to develop sensory techniques and basic skillls. This was a 6-part training for a total 18 hours education. Students and technical support learned theDescriptive Sensory Analysis (DSA) how to use the Profile Attribute Analysis (PAA) that could then be used to relate to farm-level variables. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Objective 5.1- Strengthen our national network. In 2024, 452 copies of A Farmer's Guide to Grass-fed Dairy Production developed under our last research project were distributed to farmers and partnering organizations across nine states: IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, NY, PA, WI, and WY. In addition, to help advertise our work more widely, the following communications were distributed: Flyer for April 3 event sent to Organic Valley, Maple Hill Creamery, Family Farmstead, NY Grazette newsletter, NOFA-NY, and NODPA (online and March newsletter). Elam Stolzfus (PA farmer) wrote something about the grass-fed guide in Topsoil Magazine and put our phone number with it, prompting farmers to call requesting a copy. August 2024 Flyer for October 31 event sent to Organic Valley, Maple Hill Creamery, Family Farmstead, and mailed to list of farmers who had attended events and signed our mailing list who were within 2.5 hours of the location. Objective 5.2- Building knowledge and skills. The following presentations and events were hosted by project staff: Desrochers, R. and S. Ziegler. Dairy and Beef Sensory Session. Northeast Grazing & Livestock Conference, January 25th-27th, 2024. Amherst, MA.Roy Desrochers and Sara Ziegler attended and provided a 2.5-hour presentation on grass-fed beef and dairy sensory research. They also provided outreach to attendees providing information on the new project and opportunities for farmer participation. Flack, S. and S. Ziegler. Developing the Grass-Fed Organic Milk Market. Prograssive Conference, February 20, 2024. Utica, NY.. Sarah Flack and Sara Ziegler attended and had a table at conference sharing resources and conducting outreach to potential farmer participants. Healthy Soil, Pasture & Forage, April 3, 2024. Fort Plain, NY.Heather Darby, Sarah Flack, and Sara Ziegler hosted an all-day workshop focused on soil health and fertility, grazing and forage management for grass-fed dairy operations. They also provided information on past, current, and upcoming research opportunities through this project. Sensory Basics Workshop at the UVM Ext. NWCS Annual Field Day, July 25, 2024, Alburgh, VT.Roy Desrochers facilitated a 2-hour workshop on the basics of objective sensory analysis with a focus on 100% grass-fed milk, craft beer, local hops, and maple syrup. He also provided outreach to attendees providing information on this research project. Milk Sensory workshop for Family Farmstead farms, August 1, 2024. Worchester, NY.Roy Desrochers, Heather Darby, and Sara Ziegler supported Tom McGrath in an all-day workshop focused on milk sensory evaluation and management at the farm and processor level that can help contribute to the production of high-quality grass-fed dairy products. Sensory Basics Workshop at the UVM CALS Annual Retreat, August 21, 2024, South Burlington, VT. Roy Desrochers facilitated a 1.5-hour workshop on the basics of objective sensory analysis with a focus on 100% grass-fed milk, 100% grass-fed beef, and locally produced honey. He also provided outreach to attendees providing information on this research project as well as active UVM projects with other grass-fed products. Pasture Walk, September 19, 2024, Schenevus, NY. Sarah Flack, Kurt Cotanch, and Sara Ziegler hosted a pasture walk for 100% grassfed dairy farmers interested in discussing and learning more about grazing management to improve pasture forage quality, pasture plant species, plant diversity and soil health. Also discussed was how milk production, quality and flavor can be changed as forage species and quality changes. Introduction to Sensory Science presentation for UVM Science Café, September 21, 2024, Burlington, VT. Roy Desrochers facilitated a 2-hour workshop on the basics of objective sensory analysis with a focus on 100% grass-fed milk and maple syrup to a group of high school students from across Vermont. He also provided outreach to attendees providing information on this research project, as well as other active UVM projects using sensory to help local farmers and producers. Nutrition for the Grass-fed Dairy Cow: How forage quality and management impact milk production and quality, October 31, 2024. Fort Plain, NY. Kurt Cotanch, Sarah Flack, Heather Darby, and Sara Ziegler hosted an all-day workshop focused on dairy cow nutrition and forage quality. They discussed forage quality analysis and how farmers can interpret the test results as well as how forage quality and the resulting nutritional quality and milk production potential are impacted by management factors such as harvest timing and storage. They also discussed creating a forage inventory for the farm to plan out how to feed the various quantities and qualities of forage on the farm through the winter to optimize milk production and milk quality. Sensory Analysis Workshop for the Association of Africans Living (AALV) in Vermont, November 6, 2024, Burlington, VT. Roy Desrochers facilitated a 2-hour workshop on the basics of objective sensory analysis with a focus on 100% grass-fed milk to a group representing the AALV. This is a group of young adults learning about food systems in Vermont including dairy. He also provided outreach to attendees providing information on the this research project as well as other active UVM projects using sensory to help local farmers and producers. The following outreach materialswere developed through this project in 2024: Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Association Newsletter. November 2023 issue. Managing Soil Fertility and Other Lessons on Grass-fed Dairies.https://nodpa.com/files/2023_11_November_NODPA_News.pdf Graze Magazine. December 2023 issue. Looking at grassfed's nutrient challenges. https://www.grazeonline.com/digital-back-issues 2023 Cost of Production on Grass-fed Dairy Farms in the Northeast.https://uvmd10.drup2.uvm.edu/d10-files/documents/2024-12/2023-CostOfProduction-Article.pdf Grass-fed Dairy Production Practices and Farmer Perceptions: Results from a survey of grass-fed dairy producers in the US.https://uvmd10.drup2.uvm.edu/d10-files/documents/2024-12/2024-GF-Survey-Results-Article.pdf A Guide to Assessing Forage Quality for the Dairy.https://uvmd10.drup2.uvm.edu/d10-files/documents/2024-12/A-Guide-to-Assessing-Forage-Quality-for-the-Dairy.pdf What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1.1- Expand the data collection and participants in the financial benchmarking program. In January-April 2025, financial data will again be collected from 32 grass-fed dairy producers across three states in the Northeast using the Dairy TRANS 20.20 analysis tool during in-person and phone interviews. An summary of the cost of production will be created and shared with the target audience. Objective 1.2- Identifying strategies that support economic viability of grass-fed dairy farms. Publicationsummarizing the findings from these analyses are in process and will be published in 2025. Objective 2.1- Quantifying the impacts of grazing management on gastrointestinal parasite burden in organic grass-fed dairy cattle and identify impact on milk production. This objective is planned to start in Year 2. Initial planning amongst the research team was conducted at an annual team meeting in August, 2024. This objective will be reported on next year. The remaining activities for this objective are not slated to start until 2025. Initial planning discussions were held at the annual team meeting in August 2024. Objective 2.3-Evaluate the interaction of forage quality and milk feeding duration on calf and heifer growth and markers of rumen development. This objective is not slated to start until 2025. Initial planning discussions were held at the annual team meeting in August 2024. Objective 3.1- Identify management strategies that enhance forage productivity and quality. Four trials will be continued in 2025 to investigate forage management strategies that enhance productivity and quality. Forage and soil samples from 2024 are in process of being analyzed in the laboratory for forage quality parameters and when complete will be summarized in a research report in early 2025. Objective 3.2-Characterize soil nutrient dynamics on grass-fed dairy farms. Eight dairy farms provided management data that was entered into the Cornell Whole Farm Mass Nutrient Balance calculator. We will collect more data sets in 2025 and hope to align our cost of production questionnaire more with this data collection so that we can investigate the economic interpretation of these balances as well. In addition, the soil fertility survey was started with the collection of soil cores at 0-15, 15-30, and 30-60cm depths on 22 fields on 6 farms across two states. Farms were selected based on their acreage, stored forage production, and other management factors with the goal of obtaining a spread of management systems that would help elucidate trends in soil fertility and their connection to management practices. On each farm, up to two hay fields and two pastures were sampled. Fields were selected by the farmer through a conversation with technical staff who helped identify sites that were under relatively consistent management from year to year and the farmer possessed decent records for nutrient applications and forage harvests/grazings. In each field, a point was GPS located where a bulk density sample was collected at the three depths. Surrounding that point, a composite sample of 5 cores was collected at the three depths. The maximum depth achieved, if less than 60 cm, was noted along with the number of attempts out of 10 maximum attempts to obtain the 5 cores. Over the winter, participating farmers will be interviewed to obtain fertility and yield record information. The research team will finalize plans for additional sampling to be conducted in 2025. Objective 3.3-Evaluate the interaction between forage quality and molasses supplementation level on ruminal fermentation and methane emissions. This objective is not slated to start until 2025. Initial planning has been conducted. ?Objective 4.1- Expand understanding of grass-fed milk sensory quality's relation to farm management and processing. The UVM trained Descriptive Sensory Analysis (DSA) taste panel will complete a second year of sensory to replicate 2024 data collection. We are currently completing the analysis of the full year's sensory data, with a focus on: The variation of flavor quality in the market for conventional, organic, and 100% grass-fed milk Differences in flavor quality between the major brands of 100% grass-fed milk. Differences in flavor quality between brands of organic milk. Differences in flavor quality between local conventional milk. Differences in the flavor quality of lots of milk produced at the participating dairies, processors, and identification of processing factors that may cause these differences Differences in the flavor quality of raw milk between farms that supply 100% grass-fed milk, and factors or farming practices that may be responsible, especially for off-flavors Seasonal differences in milk flavor quality that may be reflective of cow diet and eating habits Ultimately, we will be looking to identify factors at the farm, or in processing at the dairy, that affect the flavor quality of milk. Once identified, we will work with farmers, and dairy producers, to adjust practices to produce the highest quality milk possible, leading to increased sales and sustained market success. Objective 4.2-Identify the β-carotene content and fatty acid content and profile in grass-fed milk to assess their applicability as potential biomarkers of authentication of grass-fed milk as well as the nutritional quality of grass-fed milk. In 2025 the team will continue analyzing the remaining samples collected in 2024 on the GC. We will also assess collected data more deeply for potential biomarker applicability and will assess the influence of pasteurization on fatty acid composition in grass-fed milks. We will also compare fatty acid composition data with the sensory data described in objective 4.1 to investigate potential correlations. Further, a second year of milk samples will be collected and analyzed as in 2024. We will also finalize a methodology for the β-carotene quantification and begin measurements. Finally, a literature review will be completed and published and an abstract submitted to the American Dairy Science Association.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1.1- Expand the data collection and participants in the financial benchmarking program. In January-April 2024, financial data were collected from 32 grass-fed dairy producers across three states in the Northeast using the Dairy TRANS 20.20 analysis tool during in-person and phone interviews. The participating farms managed on average 60 crossbreed cows, 295 acres of crop land, purchased 34.2% of their herd's forage needs. Overall, the total cost of production on grass-fed dairy farms in the northeast averaged $49.63 which was similar to what was found in previous years. Objective 1.2- Identifying strategies that support economic viability of grass-fed dairy farms. Eleven top-performing farms were selected from a group of approximately 49 organic grass-fed dairy farms across the northeast that participated in a cost of production study between 2018-2023. The farms were selected due to their higher levels of profitability defined by their 1) return on assets (ROA) 2) return per unpaid labor hour and 3) cost of production per hundredweight equivalent. The farms were visited in the spring of 2024 and asked a list of 24 questions relating to their management, perspectives, and farming philosophies. In addition, the financial data from 2019-2022 were utilized in statistical analyses to investigate correlations between the cost of production and key production and management factors. The top-performing farms identified feed quality and quantity, genetics, and labor efficiency as the three most important practices impacting their profitability. Similarly, these in addition to facilities and infrastructure were identified as the biggest challenges to maintaining profitability. Objective 2.2- Investigate impact of grazing management and calf milk feeding (quantity and duration) on youngstock resiliency to gastrointestinal parasites, breeding performance, and productivity in first lactation. A national survey was developed and distributed to 509 grass-fed dairy farms nationally in early 2024. The survey included some similar questions as the 2019 survey regarding farm characteristics, farmer demographics, and perceptions, but included more detailed questions regarding youngstock rearing, herd health, and grazing management. One hundred forty-four farmers returned the survey for a response rate of 28.3%. Responses were collected from nine states with most farms located in NY, OH, IN, and PA and most (75%) identified as belonging to a Plain sect community. Average herd size was similar to the previous survey at 48 milking cows, predominantly crossbreeds, milked year-round producing 10,599 lbs milk per cow annually at 4.4% butterfat and 3.4% protein contents. Farms reported producing forage on 4.1 acres per mature cow, however, 72.3% reported they still needed to purchase 36.4% of their herd's stored forage needs. In youngstock management the survey identified that calves are fed an average of 1.75 gallons of milk per calf per day for 5.1 months. In addition, breeding age averaged 16.5 months but ranged from 11 to 30 months. Additionally, calf health issues were influenced by calf rearing system with more contact-heavy group systems seeing respiratory diseases for example, more than individual rearing system. While calf mortality was most commonly associated with scours, dystocia, and respiratory disease, 71.5% did not administer any vaccinations to calves. ?Objective 3.1- Identify management strategies that enhance forage productivity and quality. Four trials were initiated in 2024 to investigate forage management strategies that enhance productivity and quality. Firstly, a perennial grass variety trial with 38 varieties of six perennial grass species replicated five times was established in the late summer of 2023. In 2024 this trial was harvested four times assessing yield at each harvest. A representative sample was collected at the first harvest and is currently in process of being analyzed in the laboratory for forage quality parameters. Secondly, a trial investigating legume inclusion rates (0-50%) was established in the late summer of 2023. Plots were also mechanically harvested to assess yield at four cuttings across the season. After each cutting, nitrogen treatment rates (0-50 lbs N/ac) were applied via Chilean nitrate. At the beginning and end of the season soil samples were collected to be analyzed for ammonium and nitrate nitrogen content. Third, a trial investigating fertility amendment efficacy for managing forages organically was established late summer 2023. Plots containing three species of grasses mixed with and without red clover and alfalfa were established. Plots were mechanically harvested four times throughout the season to measure yield. After each harvest plots were treated with Chilean nitrate, liquid dairy manure, poultry manure, or no additional fertility source. At the beginning and end of the season soil samples were collected and analyzed for soil ammonium and nitrate nitrogen content. Objective 3.2- Characterize soil nutrient dynamics on grass-fed dairy farms. Eight dairy farms provided management data that was entered into the Cornell Whole Farm Mass Nutrient Balance calculator. The farms ranged in size, milk production, and management.Most farms fell within feasible ranges for N and P balance per acre but due to low production fell outside feasible for N and P balance per hundredweight. All were considered outside the "optimal zone". In terms of K balance, most farms were outside the feasible range per acre and all were outside on a per hundredweight basis. However, farms that made their own forages were inside the feasible range per acre and close to zero. ?Objective 4.1- Expand understanding of grass-fed milk sensory quality's relation to farm management and processing. The UVM trained Descriptive Sensory Analysis (DSA) taste panel completed its sensory evaluation on a total of 168 milk samples.The samples that were assessed included: 35 - 100% grass-fed milk samples shipped directly from the manufacturer to UVM, every other month, starting in Feb. 2024. (February, April, June, August, October, and December.) 30 - raw 100% grass-fed milk samples provided by individual grass-fed farms supplying the processors above. 103 - Market purchased milk samples which included 25 samples each quarter representing grass-fed milk from various processors. The raw milk that was collected each quarter from participating farms was pasteurized using a Kleen-Flo® 2 Gallon Benchtop Pasteurizer prior to tasting. All samples were presented blind and in random order to the trained UVM DSA panel. In addition, all samples were replicated resulting in a total of 336 evaluations by the trained UVM DSA panel. The UVM DSA panel used Profile Attribute Analysis (PAA), a standard modification of the Flavor Profile Method of Sensory Analysis, to assess each sample. Objective 4.2- Identify the β-carotene content and fatty acid content and profile in grass-fed milk to assess their applicability as potential biomarkers of authentication of grass-fed milk as well as the nutritional quality of grass-fed milk. In 2024, the research team separated cream from over 600 milk samples. Over 300 of these samples had lipids extracted and were prepared for gas-liquid chromatography analysis. Two large batch runs on the GC were performed which processed 226 samples which included all market samples, direct-from-manufacturer samples, quarterly individual farm samples, and a subset of the weekly farm samples. Fatty acid composition analysis was started on the samples. This analysis compares the output from the GC to 98 identified fatty acids to identify and quantify the fatty acid profile of each sample. Several initial compositional trends noted differentiating grass-fed and conventional milk samples that may serve as potential grass-fed biomarkers upon further detailed analysis.

Publications