Low grain prices, increasing input costs and solid cattle prices are prompting producers to evaluate crop production systems and consider how greater integration of cattle grazing could improve profitability. To explore practical ways cattle grazing and forages can be integrated into wheat production systems, Nebraska Extension, together with the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition, will be hosting a three-part workshop series Monday, Jan. 19 to Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. MT at locations across the Panhandle.
Doug Landblom, a beef cattle specialist at the Dickinson Research Extension Center, will share insights from 15 years of research evaluating crop rotations that utilize forages and cattle grazing with a spring wheat cropping system. These diverse systems have been compared to a traditional continuous spring wheat system to assess soil quality and total profitability.
Topics will include:
- Grazing diverse annual forages in cropping systems with yearling steers to capture additional pounds of gain prior to feedlot entry. (Steers in this system weigh over 1,000 pounds when entering the feedyard.)
- Direct grazing annual forage grain, legume, mixed crops, and cover crops, such as field pea/forage barley mix and standing corn late summer and fall followed by cover crops with yearling steers. This increased steer feedlot entry weight and reducing the number of feedlot days on feed, resulting in greater net return.
- Integrating legumes as a component of cropping systems to fix nitrogen for subsequent crops.
- Bale grazing and swath grazing as winter feeding methods to reduce equipment and labor expenses.
The events will include an evening meal, followed by a panel discussion from area producers who are utilizing annual forages with cattle grazing in their cropping systems.
The cost of the event is $20 per person. Pre-registration is requested one week ahead of the meeting date at each location for a meal count.
To register, contact the host at each location:
- Jan. 19 — Country Kitchen in Chadron, Brock Ortner, 308-327-2312
- Jan. 20 — UNL Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff, Aaron Berger, 308-235-3122
- Jan. 21 — South Platte NRD in Sidney, Aaron Berger, 308-235-3122
