Research Brief – Complementary practices for more feed and better environmental outcomes on high-production dairy farms

Can we grow more dairy feed while protecting the environment? 🐄🌿

A recent study in BC tested four different ways of managing dairy farms called Farmlets to see if it’s possible to grow more silage corn and grass sustainably. Each Farmlet added a new Beneficial Management Practice (BMP), starting from regular farming methods and building up to include three BMPs at once.

The goal was to produce more high-quality feed on BC farms, reduce the need to bring in feed and nutrients from outside, and lower the environmental impact. Researchers also used computer models to understand how these changes would affect milk production and nutrient losses on the farm.

🌾 Find the full plain language summary of this research in the BC Food Web library.