By Scout Nelson
K-State Research and Extension, along with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is set to host a one-day grazing school titled ‘Grazing Greener Pastures’ on May 9 in Baldwin City, Kansas. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the farm of horse owners Bob and Julie DeYoung, located at 1041 No. 800th Road.
Margit Kaltenekker, an agriculture agent with K-State Research and Extension in Douglas County, emphasized the importance of proper pasture management. “We often talk about managed rotational grazing to help landowners achieve optimum forage production and utilization,” she said.
While the school emphasizes grazing strategies for horses, the topics are applicable to anyone managing grazing animals. Sessions will cover rotational grazing, paddock design, grazing arithmetic, fly control for horses, and identifying common grasses and weeds.
“We need to know which types of grasses we are managing, whether they are cool season grasses (brome or fescue) or native warm season grasses (little bluestem, big bluestem, switch grass or Indian grass),” Kaltenekker said. “Each requires slightly different management strategies to ensure greatest productivity.”
The school includes hands-on outdoor instruction, so attendees should be prepared for all weather conditions.
Instructors include Tina Sullivan, K-State northeast area agronomist; Cassandra Olds, K-State veterinary entomologist; and Ethan Walker, NRCS grazing specialist for eastern Kansas.
Registration is available online, and more information can be obtained by calling the Douglas County extension office at 785-843-7058 or emailing Kaltenekker at margitk@ksu.edu.
The workshop aims to provide practical tools and expert insights to help landowners maximize pasture health and animal productivity through effective grazing strategies.
Photo Credit:kansas-state-university
Categories: Kansas, Education