Grass farmers convene at Lake Ozark to share ideas on grazing livestock, Nov. 3-4

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Grasslands, the animals that graze them and soils that grow them are featured in the Missouri Forage and Grassland Council meeting, Nov. 3-4 at Lake Ozark, Missouri.

Alternative approaches to soil health, different forages and multispecies of livestock are included.

The group meets at the Resort at Port Arrowhead at the south end of Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54, says Joetta Roberts, MFGC executive secretary. The first-day meeting starts at 10 a.m.

Of special interest will be Teddy Gentry, with the country music group Alabama. He combines careers in music and breeding South Poll cattle. They are four-way crosses of Hereford, Red Angus, Senepol and Barzona. He seeks maternal and heat tolerance traits. His goal is tender beef grown on grass on his farm at Fort Payne, Alabama.

Opening session on soil health will be led by Gabe Brown, who farms and ranches near Bismarck, North Dakota. He integrates grazing and no-till cropping, with a variety of cover crops. His livestock include beef, poultry and sheep. The beef is grass-fed.

Soil microbiology is the topic for Donna Brandt, a University of Missouri graduate who runs the MU soil health laboratory, Columbia. Previously she taught biology and science at Lebanon Junior High School.

Amy Hamilton, another Missourian, tells of “Managing Diverse Native Forages.” She and husband Rex own Hamilton Native Outpost, which raises livestock and seed. Their cattle are grazed on low-input forages. They work to double forage growth per acre. She studied plant and soil science at the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Doug Peterson will tell how he integrates native warm-season grasses with cool-season pastures. He operates a 500-cow beef farm with his father, Steve, near Newtown. Also, Doug teaches soil health for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He assists Missouri farmers with soil health.

The second day starts with Greg Brann telling of multispecies grazing. He grazes 750 sheep, 95 cows and 40 goats on his farm on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. He uses multispecies of warm- and cool-season grasses. He pushes animal stocking rates on his low-input farm to test “How many is too many?” He has not used fertilizer in seven years.

Andy Roberts of Miles City, Montana, will tell his plans for low-cost heifer development. He will discuss his plans for feeding during heifer development and cow pregnancy. He sees the impact of cows’ nutrition during pregnancy on their daughters.

Adele Hite will talk on “Science and Politics of Meat.” She serves as executive director of Healthy Nation Coalition, a nonprofit public health group. She also studies communications at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Two MU economists will join the program: Wesley Tucker, Bolivar, will compare costs of raising and buying replacement heifers. Ray Massey, Columbia, will update producers on livestock risk management programs.

Full registration, with banquet, is $85 for members and $105 for nonmembers. That increases to $105 and $125 after Oct. 22. One-day registrations are available.

Find sign-up details at www.mofgc.org. Call Roberts at 573-499-0886 or email [email protected].