Project Overview
Managing forage risk is an integral part of grazing livestock production. This program was developed to address forage risk in the Mid-South United States as regional climate conditions influence practices for managing risk. Thus, to address the complexity of the issue, a wide range of topics were discussed including: 1) reasons for forage specie diversification, 2) managing multiple forage species, 3) extending the grazing season, 3) utilizing annual and perennial forages, 4) forage production costs, and 5) forage insurance products, Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Insurance.
Recognizing the breadth of the information, the program was developed for established and beginning livestock producers (cattle, equine, small ruminants), hay producers, producers diversifying enterprises by introducing co-specie grazing, and producers raising pasture raised meat and dairy products. In an effort to reach these audiences, 20 face-to-face county/multi-county meetings, four statewide/multi-state conferences, and one webinar were utilized, reaching 1,506 producers. (Webinar participation was not counted as sites hosted multiple participants.) Through a survey, producers stated they began diversifying forage species to mitigate production risk due to drought and pest (disease or insect) pressure, managing stocking rates to promote forage health, developing forage establishment and maintenance budgets, and evaluating and using forage insurance products.
Number of Participants: 1506
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
There are no promotional materials available for this project.
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
There are no educational materials available for this project.
REPORTS & EVALUATIONS
There are no reports or evaluations available for this project.