MOSES Organic University Grazing School – Feb 23, 2017 – LaCrosse WI
In this all-day workshop we will start by reviewing the basic principals behind all successful grazing systems. This will include discussion first from the perspective of pasture plants, and then from the perspective of the livestock. Once we put those two important pieces together, we will move into topics which include how to calculate paddock sizes, stocking densities, stocking rates and acreage needs as well as strategies to maximize the herd or flocks pasture dry matter intake and use grazing to improve pastures. We will talk about how to use different pre and post grazing heights, length of rest periods, different plant species, and encourage healthy soils to increase pasture productivity and quality. Using examples of real farm grazing systems we will cover system design, fence, water systems, lanes, paddock sizing and acreage requirements. We will use photos of pastures and livestock as we then learn how to observe and monitor so that we can better understand if our grazing systems are working the way we want them to, and what we can do to make them better.