The sector day began off on the Irwin County Excessive College C.A.S.E Farm with an academic session facilitated by Dan Glenn, owner-operator of Deep Grass Graziers, and Jonathan Fordham, owner-operator of Fordham Brothers Farm.  

CATTLE BREED SELECTION AND SOIL HEALTH 

Dan Glenn’s wealth of information comes from self-education, from visiting different farms, attending area days, and most significantly, listening. He operates a 400 head cow/calf operation on 300 acres that makes use of minimal inputs, and champions local weather good methods of regenerating soil well being and breeding cattle genetics which can be tailored to the Southeast. For example, as an alternative of elevating grass-finished beef that’s bred for body or weight, Dan places environmental pressures on the cattle that encourages self-selection for adaptability. Based on Dan, there aren’t any shortcuts in breed choice. When choosing cattle breeds, you will need to understand that the Southeast area: 

• Will get a whole lot of rainfall, which makes the grasses “washy,” that means they aren’t heavy in minerals or sugars, so the cows want a better intestine capability to eat all of the vitamins they want. 

• Has intense warmth 6 months out of the yr, and through this time, it’s additionally sizzling through the evening; the cows want to have the ability to take care of steady warmth stress. 

• Has better insect pressures, comparable to ticks and flies. 

Epigenetics performs a task within the adaptability of heifers and calves. Based on Dan, “You’ll be able to at all times increase a greater heifer, than you should buy.” Which means that the cows raised within the setting of your farm are programmed to the feed you utilize, the bugs in your farm, and the trivia which can be particular to your farm. If you happen to’re not capable of increase your personal heifers, Dan suggests that you just search for a breeder in your space, however stresses that it’s vital to search for a breeder with related practices to your farm. That method, the cow can extra simply adapt to your farm.  

Certainly one of Dan’s core values in working a worthwhile enterprise is prioritizing his soil well being. To do that, he follows these ideas and practices: 

Round 6 years in the past, Dan stopped utilizing business fertilizer on sure grasses. Because of this, the clover within the pasture seed financial institution has elevated. By embracing and dealing with nature, Dan minimizes continuously working on a cycle of fixing issues, and he’s higher capable of tackle root points, not simply the signs. Dan is prepared to surrender close to time period efficiency in change for investing time into adjusting and enhancing pasture and grazing administration as a result of that provides him extra management over his enterprise prices. The extra prices he can management, the extra resilient that makes him. Dan emphasised the significance of balancing resiliency and profitability, whereas additionally sustaining a ardour for the work. He stated it finest by reminding area day attendees that, “The cattle enterprise isn’t excessive sufficient margin for it to not be enjoyable, so at all times hold it enjoyable.”