By Alexa Davis
The Nebraska Grazing Exchange, an online platform connecting livestock producers with landowners offering forage, plays an increasingly important role in improving grazing access, supporting livestock health, and strengthening community collaboration across Nebraska.
A Central Hub for Grazing Coordination
Using an interactive map, the website, nebraskagrazingexchange.com, displays available grazing sites statewide, allowing producers to search by location, forage type, or grazing season. Landowners and livestock producers can post listings and communicate directly through the platform.
Because signing up and creating listings is completely free, producers of any size, from small family operations to large herds, can quickly access forage opportunities without cost barriers. This accessibility helps ensure that the tool remains widely adopted across the state.
The system supports cattle, sheep, goats, and mixed herds, and helps match those animals with forage sources such as crop residue, cover crops, perennial pastures, and native rangeland. This strengthens livestock diets and offers more flexibility throughout changing seasonal conditions.
Benefits for Livestock and Land
Integrating livestock with cropland and grassland systems boosts both animal health and soil function. Grazing cover crops and crop residue improves soil structure, enhances nutrient cycling, and reduces weed pressure. Seasonal strategies, such as fall residue grazing or summer cover crop grazing, help producers maintain herd nutrition while simultaneously improving land management and extending forage availability.
Source : unl.edu