Farms.com Home   News

Use a Grazing Strategy to Get More Grass From Pastures

Compared to other parts of the agricultural community, graziers of cattle depend less on fossil fuel and more on solar energy to turn a natural resource like grass into a sellable commodity, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg.

Graziers can save on operating expenses and provide quality feed to meet nutritional needs by allowing cows to do selective harvesting, he says.

The job of a grazier, often referred to as a solar panel manager, is to maintain plenty of grass blades (solar panels) to convert the sun’s energy through photosynthesis into carbohydrates for livestock to graze. Graziers continually look for ways to reduce undesirable solar panels such as bare soil, overgrazed plants, mature plants and weeds.

Source : missouri.edu

Trending Video

Season 6, Episode 7: Takeaways from the Second International Conference on Pig Livability

Video: Season 6, Episode 7: Takeaways from the Second International Conference on Pig Livability

This year’s conference fostered open, engaging conversations around current research in the swine industry, bringing together hundreds of attendees from 31 states and six countries. Two leaders who helped organize the event joined today’s episode: Dr. Joel DeRouchey, professor and swine extension specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University, and Dr. Edison Magalhaes, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Iowa State University. They share key takeaways from the conference, including the importance of integrating data when evaluating whole-herd livability, building a culture of care among employees and adopting new technologies. Above all, the discussion reinforces that this industry remains, at its core, a people business.