Producers can increase forage and livestock production, and decrease the costs of fertilizing, harvesting and feeding hay, by allowing livestock to harvest more of their feed from irrigated pastures. On Sept. 11-14, University of Idaho Extension will offer a four-day, boots-on-the-ground workshop on management-intensive grazing of irrigated pasture at the Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center north of Salmon.
Offering plenty of practice along with management principles, participant of the Lost Rivers Grazing Academy (LRGA) will learn how to design and manage grazing cells, water systems and electric fencing. They'll apply low-stress cattle-handling techniques and learn how to reduce winter feed costs by stockpiling standing forage and drawing on their livestock's "fat banks."
Leading the workshop will be UI Extension faculty, as well as grazing lands consultant Jim Gerrish of American GrazingLands Services LLC in May, ID. Formerly of the University of Missouri's Forage Systems Research Center, Gerrish writes a grazing column for BEEF magazine and has authored a book on management-intensive grazing.
The workshop's $450-per-person registration fee includes meals and all materials. Farmers and ranchers who register as part of a management team pay $450 for the first team member and $225 for each additional member. The pre-registration deadline is Sept. 5. For more info, call 208-879-2344 or 208-896-4104.
-- Joe Roybal
