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| [Image: Mike McCormick] |
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Louisiana’s got milk because the LSU AgCenter supports a research program that helps keep the Louisiana dairy industry surviving and thriving. In 2008, Louisiana had 180 Grade A dairy herds and produced 316 million pounds of milk and contributed about $180 million to the state’s economy.
Most of the AgCenter's dairy research is conducted at the Southeast Research Station in Franklinton. A primary focus of research at the station is improving the quality and lowering the cost of feed so the cows can get the nutrition they need to produce the optimum level of milk.
“Dairy and beef producers are being hurt by the high costs of feed, fertilizer and fuel,” said Dr. Mike McCormick, research coordinator at the station. “It is imperative for producers to grow high-quality forages and feed optimum levels of nutrients. Otherwise, lactation performance will suffer and fertility will be severely compromised.”
Researchers use such low-cost agricultural byproducts as rice bran in developing new high-quality feeds. Dr. Kun-Jun Han, assistant professor at the station, is studying the use of clover as a nitrogen supplier to pastures and livestock. Dr. Vinicius Moreira, assistant professor at the station, is studying long-term phosphorus efficiency in milk cow diets.
About the station
The Southeast Research Station, established in 1944, is located in picturesque southeast Louisiana, the major dairy producing area of the state. It's on more than 800 acres and is about five miles west of Franklinton. The station keeps a herd of about 220 cows. The station is a state-of-the-art dairy operation with the latest in time-saving, cost-saving equipment.
The LSU AgCenter Forage Quality Laboratory is at the station, and Louisiana and Mississippi forage and livestock producers can submit feed and forage samples for analysis. Forage quality analyses are also performed for research conducted in Louisiana and cooperative projects in Mississippi.
“Feeding costs are often among the largest expenses for livestock producers,” McCormick said. “Accurate feed analyses allow for diets more precisely balanced to meet animal requirements, which improves animal performance, increases profitability of the operation and, ultimately, reduces nutrient loads to the environment.”
MOU with Mississippi State
The Southeast Research Station is unique in the LSU AgCenter in that it is operated cooperatively with Mississippi State University through a Memorandum of Understanding established in 1992. The station services the dairy producers of southwest Mississippi in addition to Louisiana dairy producers.
In return, the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville, a beef cattle research facility, services beef producers in south Louisiana in addition to Mississippi producers.
The LSU AgCenter is one of 11 institutions of higher education in the Louisiana State University System. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, it provides educational services in every parish and conducts research that contributes to the economic development of the state. The LSU AgCenter does not grant degrees nor benefit from tuition increases. The LSU AgCenter plays an integral role in supporting agricultural industries, enhancing the environment, and improving the quality of life through its 4-H youth, family and community programs.