Michigan State University Extension will offer a grazing school for dairy, livestock and small ruminant producers at the Kellogg Farm Sept. 9-10. The two-day school will begin at 9 a.m. the first day and conclude at 4 p.m. the following day. With the high price of grains such as corn and soybeans, farms are increasingly utilizing pasture forage crops to provide a large portion of dairy and meat animal diets. The goal of the school is to blend classroom instruction with hands-on education and the latest animal/forage research to give participants an in-depth introduction to grazing management.

"We are bringing this popular school back to southern Michigan, and the Pasture Dairy
Center at KBS is a great venue with all the grazing research being done there," said MSU Extension grazing educator Jerry Lindquist. "Participants can go from the classroom, learning from the leading experts in pasture-based dairy and livestock production, to actually seeing the cutting-edge research that Michigan State University is conducting across the pasture lands at KBS."

The topics covered at the school will include:

  • Introduction to managed grazing.
  • Pasture management and decision making.
  • Livestock nutrition and requirements on pasture.
  • Forage yield determination and pasture allocation.
  • Grass and legume species identification.
  • Pasture soil fertility and management.
  • Grazing systems, layout and design.
  • Water systems and requirements.
  • Building and using fence for grazing.
  • Pasture establishment and improvement.


Maximum enrollment is 35 people. Registration is $125 per person; a second participant from the same farm may attend for $85. Attendees from the same farm share one set of printed materials. The early registration deadline is Sept 2. Late registration runs Sept. 3-7, and the late registration fee is $150 per person. Fee covers workshop notes, Forage Field Guide, and all meals and refreshments. To register, visit http://events.anr.msu.edu/Grazing14/. For any questions, including lodging, contact Misty Klotz,
KBS pasture dairy outreach coordinator, at 269-671-2402.
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7.16.2014