Area Producers Gather to Explore Grazing Principles

On July 1^st local producers and conservationists gathered for a grazing workshop hosted by the McPherson County Conservation District. Held at the Samuel H. Ordway Jr. Memorial Preserve Nature Conservancy west of Leola, speaker Jenita Derga presented questions to help producers reflect on their operations to analyze profitability, ability to match production to resources and markets, and if the operation had a defined mission and vision. Having clear knowledge of these questions can help guide producers in their management decisions.

Intentional grazing impacts the amount of grass available for livestock to utilize and a producer’s bottom line. Jenita shared information on the life cycle of a plant and the importance of appropriate recovery and rest periods for grass and other forbs. Giving the pastures adequate time to recover protects the plants roots and energy reserves so that they can continue to provide forage value to the grazing animal.

Tanse Herrmann, NRCS Rangeland Soil Health Specialist, brought the rainfall simulator. This simulation demonstrates the effect of management styles on rainwater absorption and run off. Soil that is protected by residue cover and a living root will be more resilient to runoff and have increased absorption. Especially in dry periods, the ability of the soil to retain all the rainfall can positively impact the health of the grass and crops.

Workshop participants walked through some of The Nature Conservancy’s pastures to look at rangeland health and the diversity of the species on the land. Discussions were held about the nutritional value of various plant species as well as the power of adding just one ounce of grass to a square yard. If you were able to add one ounce of grass per square yard to a whole acre, you would have 302 additional pounds of forage production available. This additional forage could allow your operation to run more livestock on less acres.

Jenita consults with the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition (SDGC) and works closely with producers who participate in the SDGC three-day grazing school and follow up program. Local producers interested in attending the full grazing school or looking for more information about grass production can call the Leola NRCS office at (605) 439-3336 ext. 3.