The 2023 KY Beginning Grazing School helps livestock producers improve profitability with hands-on and classroom learning and will be held at the UK Research Station and the KY Soybean Board office.

“While this school targets beginning grazers, the topics and discussion benefits producers along all segments of their grazing journey,” said Chris Teutsch, UK forage specialist and grazing school organizer. “We’ve updated this year’s school to put greater emphasis on soils, the foundation of sustainable grazing systems.”

The school will begin each morning with refreshments at 7:30 a.m. CDT. Topics for April 25 include an introduction to soils, rotational grazing, meeting nutritional needs on pasture, grazing math concepts, travel to a local grazing operation, portable/seasonal water systems, methods to access pasture production and determine stocking rate and hands-on small paddock set-up demonstrations. After lunch at the farm, more topics include electric fencing to control grazing, offsets, soil and hay sampling, forage plant growth and grazing management and choosing forage species for a comprehensive grazing system.

April 26 topics include fence types and costs, electric fencing for serious grazers, a grazing system design case study and exercise and a discussion on how to reinvigorate a rundown farm. Students will also learn to calibrate a grain drill and try a GPS unit designed for frost seeding pastures. A local producer will discuss how they made grazing work on their farm. The day culminates with a trip back to the research farm to observe and discuss the previous day’s hands-on grazing exercise. The school will adjourn at 5 p.m. CDT.

Register here. Cost is only $60. Registration limited and will end April 10. To register by mail, send a check to Christi Forsythe, UK Research and Education Center, 348 University Drive, Princeton, KY 42445.

Sponsors include the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the KY Forage and Grassland Council, KY Beef Network and the KY Agric. Development Fund.