STOCKTON, Mo. – “Efficient forage management and utilization are crucial to the profitability of a livestock operation,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. The optimal approach to efficient forage management and utilization is through management-intensive grazing.

To educate livestock producers on these methodologies, MU Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Missouri Forage and Grasslands Council, and the Dade County Missouri Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will host a Management Intensive Grazing School June 16-18 at the Arcola Community Building at First Street and Highway 39 in Arcola. Classes run 9 a.m. to about 5 p.m. each day.

“This school will provide education in livestock and forage management for all grazing species, with a particular emphasis on cattle,” Davis said. Topics include:

• The “Art and Science” of Grazing.
• Soils, Soil Management, and Fertility.
• Plant Growth, Forage Quality and Persistence.
• Fencing and Water Systems.
• Matching Livestock and Forage Resources.
• Meeting Nutritional Needs of Livestock From Pasture.
• Layout and Design of Grazing Systems.
• Economics of Management-Intensive Grazing.
• Multispecies Grazing.
• Outdoor Field Exercises and Tour of Producers’ Farms.

Participation in this program is required to receive Missouri SWCD cost-share funding, and it may assist in obtaining NRCS cost-share funding for grazing system development, Davis said.

Registration and payment are required by June 11. Register at cvent.me/8M9zYE or contact MU Extension in Cedar County at 417-276-3313. The fee is $200 plus $100 for each additional participant from the same farm who does not require materials. The fee includes materials, lunches and refreshments. Fees will not be refunded after the registration deadline.

For questions, contact the MU Extension Center in Cedar County at 417-276-3313 or Davis at davismp@missouri.edu.

Related: Downloadable flyer (PDF)