Completed Project Report


Reducing beef cattle production risks by enhancing soil health, drought resilience, and reduced inputs through thoughtful grazing management.

  • Award Amount: $49,695
  • Regional Center: Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2013 Competitive Grant Program
  • Project Director: Matt Poore
  • Email: matt_poore@ncsu.edu
  • Organization: North Carolina State University

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Project Overview

By placing more attention on grazing management, producers can reduce fertilizer and feed needs, reduce dependence on harvested forages, and enhance forage production through improved soil health and rainfall infiltration. Producers growing stocker cattle or developing local beef finishing systems are especially at risk and will be targeted, but most producers would benefit from improved grazing management. We conducted 7 on-farm demonstrations with associated producer workshops, and 2 advanced pasture ecology schools in North and South Carolina to enhance grazing management skills. The 7 farmers whose farms were used for the demonstrations gained advanced skills in pasture/grazing management and all adopted what they learned.  The 440 producers that attended the associated workshops gained an understanding of the potential for advanced grazing management and a high percentage indicated that they intended to change their grazing management as a result of the workshop. The demonstrations were guided by teams including the local extension agent, conservationists, and other local advisers. Forty-four producers gained advanced skills through a 3-day pasture ecology school in each state.  We also conducted two national webinars on grazing and soil health that were attended by 846 advisers and advanced producers.  Our website attracted 1057 hits over a 9-month period.

Number of Participants: 482

Outcomes

Project Steps

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DELIVERY AREA

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