The Scoop View All →
Creative Problem Solving – Yes! YOU can think like Einstein! (Free)
I love it when I come across people who think creatively about common problems. So I’m especially tickled with a couple articles in this week’s issue. First, John Marble shows us how small adjustments to his handling facilities make it possible for him to work cattle on his own. They’re tips that will make your […]
Read More →Help For You From Us
Just to be right up front with you – this was a very hard issue to put together. Things are changing so rapidly in our world, and everything seems so uncertain, that it can be a little paralyzing. I finally just asked myself, “What can I do that will really make a difference?” My circle […]
Read More →Springtime in Arizona & Updates on the Subscription Shift – Free Article
We’ve all got a lot on our minds right now with everything happening in the world. There’s not much I can do about most of it, so I’m focusing on the things I can do. I’m staying home and I’m bringing you On Pasture. I also thought a look at Arizona springtime might be a […]
Read More →The New Grazing Charts Are Here!
The new grazing charts are here! This is what I feel like yelling every year about this time in a grazing version of Steve Martin in the Jerk. I don’t know about you, but in my daily life, I’m not a very detailed planner, and sometimes that means things go a little haywire. That’s why […]
Read More →How to Login and Read On Pasture (And Why This is Happening)
If you’ve been reading the Scoop over the last few weeks, you know that On Pasture is switching over to a subscription model. Today is the day it’s happening. I’ll share more about why this is happening, but for now, let’s just cut to the chase and get you logged in and reading! Subscription Options […]
Read More →Change is Coming – Starting Next Week
For the past seven years, every On Pasture article has been free to read. Starting in March, that will change. Here’s a little about this change and why it’s happening. If you’ve been reading this column, you know that On Pasture has covered its operating budget with a combination of a grant (70%), some sponsors […]
Read More →I Made a Math Mistake
That I made a math mistake is no surprise to people who know me well. I’ve never been good with numbers starting when my Dad tried to teach me to count with my fingers. When I’d demonstrated that I could count to ten, he sent me to the kitchen table to count plates, knives, forks […]
Read More →The Future is Looking Bright for On Pasture
The other day, my good friend John Marble was asking me about On Pasture’s future, given that our grant funding hadn’t been renewed and we’d lost about 70% of our funding. He said that when I spoke about it, he heard faith, and confidence that things would work out. Of course, he wasn’t around when […]
Read More →Grazing Management View All →
I Couldn’t See the Forest…or the Water, For the Trees
After digging a well and running polyethylene tubing all over the place, my intensive grazing operation was humming right along. Cows never needed to walk more than two or three hundred feet to water and things looked pretty sweet. Then the water problem started. During a dry spell my well struggled to supply sufficient water […]
Read More →How Should Livestock Farmers and Horse Owners Prepare for Farm Disruptions from the COVID-19 Outbreak?
This article comes to us from Jim Weber, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Attending Veterinarian, University of Maine. I searched for and added links to additional examples of Standard Operating Procedures to give you a head start on anything you might need to write. Successful farmers, whether they raise cattle, sheep, […]
Read More →Greg Judy’s Fail-Proof, Temporary Waterer
As grazing season approaches, we think of two things – fencing and water for the livestock. Stock-watering solutions for mob/rotational grazing require an extra degree of creativity, so we like to provide examples that you might be able to adapt to your own operation. So, here’s Greg Judy in a 7:40 video describing a temporary […]
Read More →Your FREE Grazing Chart Is Here – Along With All the How-To-Use-It Info You Need
Do you want more quality grazing days? Are you ready to make more money? Are you dealing with weather events proactively? Do you want to limit stress points in your operation? Would you like to get away for a vacation this summer? If you need help with any of these things, then check out the […]
Read More →Never-Fail Rules for Grazing
Shortly after I joined the NRCS about twelve years ago, a retired NRCS Grazing Specialist by the name of Steve Hibinger was assigned to me to “show me the ropes.” One of the things he taught me about grazing in Ohio thas stuck with me all this time. If I could teach it to every […]
Read More →A Start-Up Grazier Shares Lessons Learned
Welcome new On Pasture author Chad Fisher! This is a first in what will become a longer series describing challenges, solutions, resources and ideas helpful to new and experienced graziers. Enjoy! In 2012 my wife and I, and our two young daughters, embarked on a new and exciting side venture in the cattle industry with […]
Read More →How Many Acres Per Cow Do You Need?
This time of year, especially after you have shifted from grazing to fed feed such as hay or baleage, you might start wondering why you have the number of livestock you have. Life is short, and some animals just need to grow some wheels. It’s probably a good thing to question the number of grazing […]
Read More →How a Blue Ridge Farmer Set Up His Rotational Grazing System
John Fant, Colonel, US Army (Ret), returned to southwest Virginia in 2013 to resume daily operations and management of the family farm. In this 6:52 video, John describes how he assessed the farm’s resources and then developed and implemented a plan that would improve water quality, and soil and animal health. What he found was […]
Read More →Pasture Health View All →
Why Cows That Learn to Eat One Weed Will Choose to Eat Others
In 2004, I trained cows at Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site to eat Canada thistle, leafy spurge and spotted knapweed. Then, they started eating musk thistle as soon as I put them in pasture. When I trained 110 pairs to eat Canada thistle at the Jumping Horse Ranch near Ennis, Montana, they added musk thistle […]
Read More →How to Teach Cows to Eat Weeds in Just 8 Hours Over 7 Days
This works for any animal – so whatever you’re raising, check it out! In 2004, I taught a small group of heifers to eat Canada thistle, leafy spurge and spotted knapweed. I was inspired by two decades of research on how animals choose what to eat, and by ranchers’ (perfectly reasonable) refusal to incorporate goats […]
Read More →Plant Root Exudate Changes With Drought to Encourage Soil Microbes to Provide More Nutrients
There are all kinds of interactions between plants and the soils they grow in, and little by little we’re understanding more about what’s going on. Take root exudate for example. That’s the cocktail of carbohydrates – sugars, amino acids and organic acids – that result from photosynthesis and end up in the plant’s roots and […]
Read More →How to Choose a Grass Variety That Works for You
They say variety is the spice of life. That’s true, even when it comes to varieties of different forage grasses. Often, when we want to reseed our pastures, we may decide on a particular kind of grass, but may not consider all the varieties of that grass there are. Or, we may just ask for […]
Read More →Finding Credence in a Clearcut Revival – Converting a Dying Forest Into Grazing Land
In addition to being an article about forest conversion, this is also an example of looking at the resources we manage, paying attention to a site’s potential, and considering what is best for our operations. We hope it inspires you to look around with new eyes.
Read More →To Unroll or Not to Unroll? What Gives the Most Bang for the Buck When Bale Feeding?
The other day my buddy, Steve Kenyon, and I were discussing why concentrated bale grazing is so superior for pasture rejuvenation versus unrolling bales. Steve is the author of ‘The Calendar of the Year-Round Grazier,’ teaches a course on how to graze year-round, and has been bale grazing for more than 20 years. Steve is […]
Read More →This Farmer Finds Annual Pastures Are a Great Option for Soil and Animal Health
Tim Tobin started planting annuals for two reasons. First, he wanted to transition some crop fields to perennial pastures and annuals were a good first step. He also wanted to smother out the Kentucky 31 fescue in some of his pastures. He liked the results so much, that it looks like annuals will become a […]
Read More →From Brush to Grass – Conservation Practices Pay Off
Here’s another in our series of “Everything old is new again.” This story by Homer A. Taff, former State Conservationist with the Soil Conservation Service, comes to us from the November 1, 1961 edition of “Soil Conservation,” a publication of the Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service). The practices, which some might […]
Read More →Livestock View All →
Enhanced Livestock Handling Facilities for the Single Man/Woman (With or Without Short Legs)
Because he usually works stock by himself, John Marble has modified his handling facilities to make it easy and safe for a single man/woman. Check out his tips and then share yours with the On Pasture Community.
Read More →Making the Business of Backgrounding Work For You
Readers have asked for more information about running stocker operations. So here’s Blake Allen with another in his series. Blake says that stockers aren’t for everyone, and that cow calf operations are very important. If that includes you, read on with an eye towards how you might implement some of what Blake explains here. Then […]
Read More →Feeding Colostrum and Colostrum Replacers to Newborn Calves, Lambs and Kids
Colostrum is that “liquid gold” that gets newborn babies off to a good start. Colostrum is the first milk that a cow, ewe or doe produces after birth. It is thick and yellowish and rich in energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. But its most important role is protecting the newborn from potential disease and infection. […]
Read More →Are You Raising Cattle That Fit Your Market?
Recently, John Marble has been adjusting what he raises on his ranch to meet what his local customers are asking for. Here’s what they want, and how that might be impacting you. Of course, things may be different in your region. But this may help you explain what’s happening at your livestock auction, or give […]
Read More →Bull Body Condition Is Important to Breeding Success
When a cow comes up open in a pregnancy check, we often assume it’s because of some fault with the cow. Maybe she was too thin or not cycling well at breeding time. But maybe it’s not the cow at all. According to Karla Wilke, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Range Management and Cow/Calf Specialist, it could […]
Read More →The Sandhills Calving System For Scours Prevention
Thanks to the Beef Cattle Research Council of Canada for this piece! Last week we looked at the system Doug Wray uses to prevent disease spread in his newborn calves. His process is a variation of a system developed at the University of Nebraska about 20 years ago, known as the Sandhills Calving System (developed […]
Read More →Fresh Pens and Pastures Keep Calves Healthy
Thanks to the Beef Cattle Research Council of Canada for this information! Doug Wray believes in keeping newborn calves separated as much as possible from other two-week and older calves on his south-central Alberta farm to avoid livestock congestion and dramatically reduce the risk of congregated calves developing and spreading scours. And for the past […]
Read More →Managing Cow Nutrition as We Head Into Calving Season
Everyone wants their cow-calf herd to make it through the winter in good condition and ready to calve and breed back. But do we understand what it takes to make that happen? In this piece, Travis Mulliniks and TL Meyer describe what what good body condition is, how gestational changes affect nutrition needs, the stress […]
Read More →Consider This View All →
Grasslands and the Herds that Graze Them Provide Critical Ecosystem Services
Cattle play a vital role out on the landscapes for grasslands. They mimic in many ways what historic bison used to do. That’s why we need cattle out on the landscape. Marshall Johnson Vice President Audubon Society The Audubon Society knows all about the important role livestock play in protecting grassland habitat for birds and […]
Read More →Can Grazing Eliminate Weeds?
Before I started On Pasture, I was best known for having invented a method for teaching cows to eat weeds. The process is based in behavior science and is very simple. In as little as 8 hours spread over 10 days, anyone can teach their livestock to add a new weed to their diet. It […]
Read More →Let’s Help Each Other With Lessons Learned
Last year I took part in a pasture walk and workshop. The turnout was good and the folks in attendance were very attentive and seemed to be interested in what we had to say. As is normal, there was some negativity on display and this can lead to some very interesting and colorful conversations. At […]
Read More →The Long View: Thinking About Forever
As most of you know, On Pasture author John Marble typically offers up an article every month, something about grazing management or ranching or some technical issue. But in January, John was busy with other tasks. In another life, John spent a significant amount of time working on drinking water problems in small communities across […]
Read More →Can We Eat Our Way Out of Climate Change?
Does what we eat matter when it comes to climate impacts? Are the vegans right? If we change our diet will we avoid climate change? That’s the question that Dr. Frank Mitloehner addresses in this short video. Mitloehner, a professor and air quality expert in the Animal Science Department at University of California-Davis, puts into […]
Read More →Bison Create Their Own Green Up
Graziers often cite bison as their inspiration for managing livestock in pastures and on rangelands. But what did bison actually do? Here’s what researchers learned from years of study of the Yellowstone bison.
Read More →What is the Cost of “Get Big or Get Out?”
A few months ago, at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin, our secretary of agriculture, Sonny Perdue, made a statement that was similar to one made in years past by the then secretary of agriculture Earl Butz, GET BIG OR GET OUT. There are those who believe that consolidation is inevitable and there is no […]
Read More →Loading Day – Goodbye to 2019
Here I am; pasture empty, pants dotted with cow manure and a hoof imprint on my calf, standing in an empty pen wondering about my life’s effort as a grass farmer nourishing the land and people. My work seems to be under attack from contributing to climate change to animal welfare issues. It’s an […]
Read More →The Classic by NatGLC View All →
The Best Treatments for Pinkeye
This article was first published in April of 2018. I’ve updated it with information drawn from the comments readers shared when it was first published. When visiting Greg and Jan Judy a few weeks ago, I asked Greg “What do you do about pinkeye?” “We don’t treat it,” he said. “We found that if we […]
Read More →A “Keep-It-Simple” Method for Getting Minerals to Your Herd
From March of 2018, here’s a popular article on setting up a simple mineral supplement program. I recently sat in on a roundtable discussion about using mineral supplements on ranches that are practicing managed grazing. It turned out that even though it is well known that our region suffers from some serious soil deficiencies, most […]
Read More →Beware of Springtime Grass Tetany Dangers
This article comes to us from Ron Lemenager1, Allen Bridges1, Matt Claeys1, and Keith Johnson2 Purdue University Departments of Animal Sciences1 and Agronomy2 Most cattlemen look forward to warmer temperatures and spring grass. As temperatures begin to warm, cool-season grasses and legumes begin a rapid growth phase resulting in the production of large amounts of lush, […]
Read More →Rejuvenating Your Pasture – The Best, Most Effective Method is Free
We’re talking grazing planning and grazing charts this week because grazing season is coming right up. From March 2019, Tom Krawiec describes how his plan and his chart get him organized so he can grow lots of grass and feed lots of animals. There are many ways to improve your pastures. Depending on who is […]
Read More →Grazing Season Is Coming – Let’s Talk Fencing!
With turn-out time coming in the next couple months, it’s time to think about keeping your stock where you want them. From March of 2019, Greg Judy shares what he uses on his place. High-tensile electric fence is the most effective and economical fence that you can build on leased land and it’s what I […]
Read More →Soil Microbes Need the Right Nutrients to Do Their Job
From March of 2017, here’s how a disagreement about managing crop residues gave us new insight into what soil microbes need in order to thrive. In June of 2014, Grist reporter Nathanael Johnson reported on a battle between two men in New South Wales Australia. Clive Kirkby and John Kirkegaard were having it out over […]
Read More →How Much Grass Do You Have in Your Pasture?
This week Victor Shelton is answering the question, “How many acres per cow do I need?” Part of his answer is it depends on how much forage you have. Since we all live in different environments that produce different amounts of forage, here’s how you can measure what you’ve got to help you make good […]
Read More →How to Frost Seed to Add Legumes to Your Pastures
Folks have been asking about this recently. From January 2017, Genevieve’s tips can help you adjust your winter grazing now for frost-seeding for a better pasture this summer. Frost-seeding is one form of over-seeding, in which you can use legumes to economically and quickly thicken a pasture or a perennial hayfield in late winter. Though […]
Read More →Money Matters View All →
Setting up Drop Sites and Delivery to Get Through the Quarantine
I pulled this information together with Charlotte based on her website and conversations we had. I added additional notes to help you start building an email list, and find additional avenues for selling your products. We are in trying times, right now aren’t we? The Corona virus is affecting all of us, all over the […]
Read More →How Do You Pay Bills With $50 Profit Per Calf?
I was reading an editorial the other day in a major beef magazine that got my attention. The author was telling livestock producers that they should feel pretty darn good about making $50 a head on their weaned calves. Really? How in the world do you make a farm payment, buy groceries, pay for insurance, […]
Read More →Planning for a Stocker Operation – Homework To Do If You’re Considering This Option
Blake Allen follows up on his first article about switching to and running a stocker operation, going into more detail about considerations for folks thinking about this option. I spent several years reading about and talking to folks about stock calves before I ever bought any animals. Such careful planning and diligent research is critical […]
Read More →Why I Made the Switch to Stockers – Profit and Flexibility
About three years ago, I decided I would try my hand at raising some purchased stocker calves. I had kept brood cows on several different farms around my part of central North Carolina for over 10 years, and I was ready to try something new. I had run the numbers on stockers several times over […]
Read More →Do You Have an Idea for a New Product? Here’s How to Get Financial Assistance to Get Started
Information on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Value Added Producer Grant Program was recently announced. It includes $37 million in grant support to help producers generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase income. In conjunction with this announcement, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released a newly updated version of its Farmers’ […]
Read More →First Steps for Economic Success Integrating Livestock and Cover Cropping Systems
This information comes to us from the latest newsletter of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Grassland Studies. As part of its mission, the Center is home to the Beef Systems Initiative, an effort to provide producers the information that supports production systems that optimize feed resource use, natural resource conservation, healthy grasslands, and successful […]
Read More →The Farm and Ranch Leasing Tips You Need Going Into 2020
It’s that time of year when we reflect on what we liked or didn’t like about last year and what we might like to do differently in 2020. If that includes growing your operation using leased land, you’ll appreciate these articles. From Meg Grzeskiewicz: Building Your Farm Business on Leased Pasture Selling and Signing: Connecting […]
Read More →Some Dos and Don’ts of Setting Up a Grazing Operation
I want to discuss the steps that we focus on when designing a new grazing operation on a new farm, starting with this saying: “If you have a lot of money, act like you don’t.” (If you don’t have a bunch of money ignore this.) The point is, being successful in a previous career is […]
Read More →The Funnies View All →
Astrophysicist Gets Magnets Stuck Up Nose While Inventing Coronavirus Prevention Device
I like this story because A) it’s a great example of problem solving, and how it can run amuck, B) it’s also a great example of how folks turn to Google to solve problems they’ve created for themselves, and C) getting things stuck in your nose – well if we haven’t done it ourselves, we […]
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Get Ready to Celebrate Pi(e) Day!
Every 3/14 is know as “Pie Day” because – Pi = 3.141592. Here’s how Farmer Derek Klingenberg celebrates: Or – you could just eat some pie! I’d love to see pictures of your celebration! 🙂
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