Management-intensive Grazing is the intensifying of management of the ranch and forage resources not the grazing. Plants capture solar energy. MiG balances grazing, rest, and consumption of various plant species to harvest and turn the solar energy into a salable product of meat, milk or fiber. These products are critical to human survival. With MiG [...]
When selecting the species most suited to a grazing situation, producers should answer a few questions as to how their personal goals play into a proper choice. Are they interested in bottom line profits, fun, value added products, as well as evaluate the other responsibilities that come with that choice? Factors include: How hard do [...]
Many small scale family operations struggle with the decision to add an additional type of animal enterprise and if it has economic returns. This article addresses the returns of four possible animal scenarios for a 50 acre farm; 1) cow/calf taking calves to finish, 2) Yearlings purchased and grass fed to finish, 3) Yearlings to [...]
For a small farm, sheep have several advantages; biological, physical and economical. Sheep can provide meat, wool and dairy. The amount of forage needed to support one cow will raise eight ewes. Eight ewes are much cheaper to purchase than one cow. Sheep do not need as much to survive and rebreed as a cow [...]
Carbon dioxide, water, soil minerals and solar energy combine to grow the plant that animals consume to produce meat, milk and fiber. The four key ecosystem processes should determine a producer’s grazing management. Ranchers should strive to build a better solar panel of plants to turn sunlight into forage for animal consumption, bare soil is [...]
Feeding hay is fairly simple, but all of the tasks that come with growing, harvesting, transportation or acquisition and feeding come with a price. To achieve year round grazing successfully the livestock demands and forage supply must be balanced. Successful planning must include stockpiled forage that can be strip grazed or allocated, an available, reliable [...]
Prior to the latter part of the 20th Century, mixed crop and livestock operations were the norm in the US. As mechanization increased crop diversity decreased and fewer farmers control the land. Prior to this change, animals provided an important part into crop rotation and nutrient recycling of the ecological system cycle. Biological activity within [...]
Knowing that there is no such thing as a free lunch, ranchers continually ask “How much will this cost me? and… Is it worth it?” Putting together a figure for the cost of an improvement to the ranch is fairly simple. The more difficult thing to figure is the value of the return the improvement [...]
The top five most expensive line items are addressed using 2013 figures provided by Kansas State University Farm Management Services. The most expensive cost for livestock producers is winter feed mainly hay, followed by summer pasture costs as second. In third place is the cost of replacement breeding stock and cow depreciation. Fourth is interest [...]
This article discusses the two approaches to grazing cell design: Fixed using permanent fencing and water sources or temporary that utilizes temporary fence and moveable water tanks. In either situation attention should be given to layout, functionality and ease of use. There are many choices of fencing products and materials; attention should be paid to [...]
