[Carpenter] Patch burn grazing

[Justin Johnson]

Kevin--
 
Did you see this article?
 
http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2008/may/20080504news001.asp
 
I think I passed it around earlier in the year.  Note that this fellow is doing the intensive management on 1,300 acres and moves his cattle more than once per day.  There is no mention of fire in the story.
 
What I'd really like to see one day is thousands of acres up in the Mystic Plains COA under a sustainable grazing plan, with multiple landowners using a variety of forages to raise high-value gourmet meat and to produce great wildlife habitat.  I think it is possible, and given the high cost of fertilizer and hay, I think it might actually wind up being the only way to go in the future.

Justin Johnson
Missouri Prairie Foundation
Executive Director
573-356-7828
www.moprairie.org

--- On Sat, 7/19/08, Kevin Carpenter <kevinc at mysticplains.org> wrote:

From: Kevin Carpenter <kevinc at mysticplains.org>
Subject: [Carpenter] Patch burn grazing
To: "Carpenter Prairie in the Mystic Plains COA" <carpenter at mysticplains.org>
Date: Saturday, July 19, 2008, 9:36 PM

John?

Happen to have any good references on Patch Burn grazing?

It is my understanding that light grazing is viewed as good for the
prairie - I'm trying to balance that with what I've read on grass
feeding
cattle.  In particular, the use of rotational grazing, ideally with a
daily rotation.  Suspect that is similar to the intensive managed grazing
I heard you make mention off on our walk in December.  Essentially, the
goal I've read about is to get the herd to eat everything off a small
parcel, and move then to new grass every day.  Of course, the parcel sizes
need to match the nutritional needs of the cattle.   The key concept is
not to allow them to only eat their favorite grasses and ignore other
grasses - since that favors the less liked forage. Doing such a rotation
is claimed to have several benefits, including reduced parasites since no
one field is grazed often, more even manure distribution, etc. 
Temporarily electric fencing is used to subdivide main fields into daily
pastures.

Thoughts?  Hints?  Books to read?  Weblinks to visit?

Cheers!

Kevin_______________________________________________
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Carpenter at mysticplains.org
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