A Pasture-Based Dairy System « Back

I recently caught up with fourth generation dairy farmer Mike Meier, who farms a century-old farm near Monett, Missouri.

Mike enjoys watching his dairy cows roam free in the fresh air and graze the lush pastures of tender grass. He and his wife, Janan, own and operate a 65-cow dairy, and their most recent success story has stemmed from converting from a confinement dairy to a pasture-based system three years ago.

Meier Dairy is now a seasonal grazing dairy on 240 acres, of which 60 are used for pasture, leaving nearly an acre per cow. The remainder of the land is used for hay, young stock or winter grazing, or is wooded.

For Meier, the strategy of cutting his input costs and the seasonal cycle, which allows his cows to go dry in the winter and have their calves in the spring, simplifies his work year. Their different approach to dairy farming has created a more leisurely lifestyle and a sustainable enterprise for the next generation, should they choose to continue the dairy business.

One of the keys to making Meier’s pasture-based dairying successful has been getting water out to pastures for the cows. Meier tapped a government program to help fund extension of water lines allowing cows easier access to water all day long while in the fields.“My cows are able to go drink water whenever they want,” Mike said. “They don’t have to travel more than 800 feet before they have access to water all day long.”

Land care goes hand in hand with Meier’s intensive grazing program. “I take care of the land to make sure it’s the most productive and profitable for me,” Mike said. In return, Mike is not the only one seeing the benefit. “Taking good care of the land is a plus for not only the farmer, but it’s just good sense to take care of the land and environment,” he said. Meier has soil tests taken every other year, and lime and fertilizer are applied as necessary to ensure healthy, fertile fields. In addition, forage tests on pastures are taken every few years and at different times of the year so that he can be sure they provide the right nutrients to the cows. To help control weeds and maintain the pastures, grazing paddocks are often mowed immediately following the removal of the cows – controlling the populations of some of the undesirable plants in the pastures.

Mike and Janan’s dairy farm illustrates how their dairy thrives by using decades-old techniques combined with the knowledge of today’s research.