MSU Extension will offer a grazing school for dairy, livestock and small ruminant producers on Sept. 9 and 10 at the Kellogg Farm. The two-day school will begin at 9 a.m. the first day and conclude at 4 p.m. the following day.
With the high price of grains such as corn and soybeans, farms are increasingly utilizing pasture forage crops to provide a large portion of dairy and meat animal diets. The goal of the school is to blend classroom instruction with hands-on education and the latest animal/forage research to give participants an in-depth introduction to grazing management.
“We are bringing this popular school back to southern Michigan, and the Pasture Dairy Center at KBS is a great venue with all the grazing research being done there,” said MSU Extension grazing educator Jerry Lindquist. “Participants can go from the classroom, learning from the leading experts in pasture-based dairy and livestock production, to actually seeing the cutting-edge research that Michigan State University is conducting across the pasture lands at KBS.”
The topics covered at the school will include:
• Introduction to managed grazing.
• Pasture management and decision making.
• Livestock nutrition and requirements on pasture.
• Forage yield determination and pasture allocation.
• Grass and legume species identification.
• Pasture soil fertility and management.
• Grazing systems, layout and design.
• Water systems and requirements.
• Building and using fence for grazing.
• Pasture establishment and improvement.
Maximum enrollment is 35 people. Registration is $125 per person; a second participant from the same farm may attend for $85. The early registration deadline is Sept 2. Late registration runs Sept. 3 to 7, and the late registration fee is $150 per person. Fee covers workshop notes, Forage Field Guide, and all meals and refreshments. To register, visit this website. For. any questions, including lodging, contact Misty Klotz, KBS pasture dairy outreach coordinator, at 269-671-2402.