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Dennis Johnson
Interest Areas
The goal of the dairy program at the
West Central Research and Outreach Center is to provide research based
information to meet the needs of the moderate sized dairy farm, with
emphasis on grazing systems. This program provides a research
site and resources for other faculty and students of the College of
Agriculture Food and Environmental Sciences as part of a coordinated
dairy research system. The research herd includes 120 Holstein
cows and 200 heifers, including replacements from the Twin Cities
Campus that are raised at Morris. Animals are tended in an 88 tie-stall
barn, open front sheds, outdoor bedded packs and pastures.
Current Research
The
goal of the dairy program at WCROC has been to serve the information
needs of moderate sized dairy farms, with a focus on the role of
grazing in sustainable systems and evaluation of forages for
lactating dairy cows. After several years of transition the
program is now positioned to focus intensively on key issues relating
to the seasonal grazing dairy.
Over the next
five years we will be conducting studies evaluating a reduced
investment dairy production utilizing intensive grazing for feed,
cross-bred genetics for hardy cattle, outdoor bedded pack for housing,
and organic production methods for adding value to the milk product.
Extension Programs
We
have identified grazing systems as one of our special niches in
research and outreach. Grazing education has been a special
challenge because serious graziers are extensively distributed across
Minnesota. University of Minnesota rhetoric graduate student,
Kris Allen, has provided invaluable assistance in developing a virtual
grazing workshop that will be offered over the internet. The
workshop includes modules on goal setting, economics, agronomy, soils,
animal care, pasture management and discussion groups.
E-mail: dairydgj@morris.umn.edu
Recent Publications
Cuomo, G.J., D.G. Johnson, and W.A.
Head. 2001. Interseeding kura clover and birdsfoot trefoil into
existing cool-season grass pastures. Agron. J. 93:458-462.
Cuomo,
G.J., D.J. Johnson, F.Forcella, M.V. Rudstrom, G.D. Lemme, and N.P.
Martin 1999. Pasture renovation and grazing intensity impacts on
cool-season grass pastures. J. Prod. Agric. 12:564-569.
Johnson, D.G., G.J. Cuomo, F. Forcella, M.V. Rudstrom, G.D. Lemme
and N.P. Martin. 1998. Pasture renovation and grazing intensity impacts
on cool season grass pastures. Manitoba Grazing School, Winnipeg,
12/98.
Kuehn, C.S., J.G. Linn, D.G. Johnson and H.G. Jung. 1998. The
effects of diets containing diverse corn silage hybrid types on diet
digestibility and chewing activity of lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy
Science. 81:Suppl. 1. Abst. 777.
Johnson, Dennis, and Greg Cuomo. 1998. Grazing challenges for
Minnesota Dairy Producers. Invited lecture: Jornadas de Alimentacion en
Is Produccion Lechera, Colonia Suiza, Uruguay and Tandill, Argentina,
9/98.
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