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Contents:Page 2-3 Annual ConferencePage 4 Conference RegistrationPage 5-6 No! Not That HempPage 7 Upcoming EventsPage 8-9 The Rest of the StoryPage 10 Board of Directors Page 11 Board of Directors Ballot
“I do not belIeve there was ever a lIfemore attractIve than lIfe on a cattle farm”
theodore roosevelt
Missouri GrasslandsFall .19MISSOURI FORAGE AND GRASSLAND
COUNCIL/NATGLC NEWSL5235 GRAVEL POINT ROADMOUNTAIN GROVE, MO [email protected]
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Jim Howell
Jim’s life & career have centered on ecologi-cally regenerative & economically profitable livestock ranching. He has traveled & worked worldwide for large landscape working ran-ches. Jim serves as the CEO of Boulder, CO based Grasslands, LLC since 2010.
Allen Williams is a 6th generation family far-mer and founding partner of Grass Fed Beef, LLC, Grass Fed Insights, LLC, and a partner in Joyce Farms, Inc. Allen pioneered many of the early grass fed protocols and has spent the last 15 years perfecting those.
Dr. Pat Keyser is a Professor and Director for the Center for Native Grasslands Mana-gement. In that role, Dr. Keyser conducts research and outreach programs focused on a broad range of issues pertinent to the management of native grasslands.
conference .19
Dr. Allen Williams
Dr. Pat Keyser
Dr. Greg Halich
Dr. Greg Halich is an Ag Economist at the University of Kentucky. One of his specialties is bale grazing and how to effectively manage fixed costs of prodcution. He lives and farms just outside of Lexington, Kentucky where he produces grass fed beef.
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Harry Cope
Dr. Ashley Conway
Loren Steele
Harry Cope is one of a growing number of farmers nationwide using cover crops to improve soil quality and enhance their production system. He farms 1,300 acres near Truxton, Mo., where he raises cattle, sheep and goats. Cope uses management intensive grazing (MIG) on all his pasture land.
Dr. Conway has recently joined the Center for Agroforestry faculty as an Assistant Research Professor focused on Silvopasture. Her focus will be to provide research and outreach leadership to a silvopasture program focused on unders-tanding forage-tree-livestock interactions in the Midwest US. She has a Ph.D. in Animal Science.
, November 4th & 5th 2019Capitol plaza
Loren Steele lives in south-central Missouri near Elk Creek. Loren loves to study how livestock can improve the natural ecosystems that God intricately created. He also has a passion for low-stress stockmanship. Loren’s current adventure involves grazing a herd of goats and cattle.
2019 CONFERENCE
Megan Rudroff, along with her husband & daughters, manage 70 head of cattle on 180 acres in Osage County. Last year, when cool season pastures failed to produce, it was their native grass pastures that saved the day. Megan is looking forward to discusssing that process with confence attendess.
Kevin Riutcel grew up on a livestock farm in central Missouri. He has been involved in every facet of the cattle industry from cow/calf to custom backgrounding. For the last 5 years, he and his wife, Lori, and son Chance, manage a 3000 acre Audubon Certified Ranch that has converted from a continuous grazing operation to a flex grazing operation.
Dave Haubein comes from a lifetime of ag, from growing up on a farm to 25 years in the food processing & marketing business. Cu-rrently, he uses a combination of native warm season grass & complex cover crop mix to pro-duce forage finsihed beef that is rated well for taste & finish. Dave has been recognized as a “champion for soil health’ through the National Association of Conservation Distirticts
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No, Not That Hemp! Sunn Hemp Forage Legume Improves Tall-Fescue Pasture
Figure 1. Tall fescue interseeded with sunn hemp.
2015, Linneus, MO.
Missouri’s most used pasture grass, tall fescue, has a problem: Summer Slump. Grass growth and livestock gains drop on fescue pastures in hot and dry months of summer. Harley Naumann aims to fill that grazing gap, as a research agronomist at the University of Missouri, Columbia. He studies alternatives such as Bermudagrass and native warm-season grasses. But he favors forage that not only boosts growth, but also adds quality to quantity. That’s sunn hemp. No, not that hemp! It's neither medical nor industrial hemp. It’s no relation to the long-banned hemps grown for fiber or the chemical THC. Sunn hemp, Crotalaria juncea, is a nitrogen-fixing annual legume. That means it fixes nitrogen from the air. As a side benefit, fescue growth gains from the extra N. That addition leaves soil in better condition. There’s no confusing this long known fiber and cover crop, but little used forage in Missouri. It is adapted to warm seasons and poor soil fertility often found in Missouri.
Figure 2. Nitrogen derived from the atmosphere in a tall fescue-sunn hemp grazing system.
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“It’s a great option for grazing, but it does require management,” Naumann says. His research shows sunn hemp responds to a system that any producer attending a Missouri Grazing School knows. It works best under management-intensive grazing (MiG).
Figure 3. Tall fescue interseeded with sunn hemp in a management intensive rotational grazing system. Summer drought of 2018, Linneus, MO. Cattle have completed grazing the tall fescue-sunn hemp paddock on the left prior to rotation into a fresh tall fescue-sunn hemp paddock on the right.
Traditionally, sunn hemp is known best by farmers with sheep and goats. Beef producers haven’t taken advantage of the benefits as much. But MU research grazed feeder calves. Beef producers using tall fescue well know the need that sunn hemp fills. Tall fescue has two growing seasons. In spring it makes about two-thirds of annual growth. The summer slump is followed by fall growth to make about one-third of annual forage production. MU research shows tall fescue pastures with sunn hemp make as much as 40% gain in crude protein and 25% percent drop in fiber. That’s compared to a monoculture fescue pasture.
Figure 3. Crude protein concentration in tall fescue (TF) compared to tall fescue+sunn hemp (TF+SH) at 45, 55 and 65 days after
planting (DAP). For five years, Naumann has done pasture research at MU Forage Research Center (FSRC), Linneus. Mo. Since 2017, Naumann used the pasture mix in MiG for growing steers and heifers. Inter-seeding sunn hemp raised animal days and pounds of beef per acre. The legume-grass combo beats fescue alone. Sunn hemp fixes nitrogen from the air to boost benefits. Also, research found an extra addition. The sunn hemp nitrogen shows up in urine and manure of grazing livestock. That helps fescue grass growth.
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Intensely managed grazing boosts production per acre for both forages. Sunn hemp stood up well in the unexpected drought of summer of 2018. The legume works in dry weather. Naumann adds it works better with adequate rain. The researcher emphasizes necessity for intensive management. Any forage provides improved use with rotational grazing systems developed at MU FSRC. But mixing sunn hemp and tall fescue improves use of both forages. In the early days of study, Naumann found calves need to learn to eat sunn hemp. It’s different from what Missouri cattle are used to, for now. From his MU research, Naumann learned management tips needed. Sunn hemp is a summer annual. Growth ends at fall frosts. The tall fescue continues to provide stockpiled fall grazing. Spring no-till seeding in fescue pastures works best. However, broadcasting seed works with proper seed-to-soil contact. Either way, fescue must be trimmed down before inter-seeding starts. Early grass growth before seeding can be removed by mower or herd grazing, Seeding rates for drilling run 20 to 40 pounds per acre. For broadcast, boost that to 30 to 50 pounds. Seeding time depends on soil temperature. The minimum should be 70F degrees. Broadcast works best with moist soils at the surface, In summary, sunn hemp adds another tool to improve production and quality of tall-fescue pastures. It fills that troublesome summer slump for Missouri farmers. The studies are from the MU Agricultural Experiment Station. Funding comes from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Writer: Duane Dailey 882-9181; Source: Harley Naumann, 573-882-9896
UpComiNg eveNts
GraziNg sChools
October 8-10 October 15-17 October 28-30Howell County Greene County Reynolds CountySC Region SW Region SC RegionJamie Kurtz Mark Greene Jeff LawrenceSarah Kenyon Eric Morris Jamie Gundel417-256-2391 417-831-5246 x 2 573-648-1035
Don’t Forget!
ANNUAL CONFERENCENOVEMBER 4-5, 2019
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The Rest of the Story on Haying Native Grasses The News
Every 10 years or so, Rex and Amy Hamilton get the urge to put up a little hay so they can keep their horses penned close to the house, and 2019 was the year. A part of 3 seed production fields was marked out for hay production. These fields were not fertilized. The hay was cut June 12th.
Native warm season grasses (NWSG) are great forage plants; they are adapted to our climate, soils, and wildlife, are drought resistant, and have low fertility requirements. As a hay crop, NWSG are very productive, and the hay has the potential to make high-quality forage. The real shining beauty of NWSG hay is that it can be cut in early or mid-summer when the sun is shining, and hay-cutting weather is generally good.
The University of Tennessee’s Center for Native Grassland’s Management has a publication, “Producing Hay from Native Warm-Season Grasses in the Mid-South” (which can be found at http://nativegrasses.utk.edu/publications/SP731-D.pdf); it is a thorough examination of using NWSG for hay production. Included in this publication is the research data shown in Table 1, which quantifies the hay production of the most commonly used NWSG species. It also includes Tall Fescue as a comparison. All four of these NWSG species produce more hay than the Tall Fescue, and they do it with only 1/3 of the fertilizer! So, there is more production and less input cost.
The quality of NWSG is good. In the Flint Hills of Kansas, it is often said that these stocker-quality NWSG grasslands will put 4 pounds of average daily gain on an animal in May, 3 pounds in June, 2 pounds in July, and 1 pound in August. When the hay is put up right (e.g. the stage of growth is not too mature and the weather cooperates to get the hay cut, baled and put in the barn without rain), the quality of the hay can also be very good.
The Rest of the Story
Now, you’re going to hear the rest of the story. Within a week after haying, Rex & Amy’s grasses had significant regrowth. After a month, the regrowth was even more substantial, and two months later, it was hard to tell the part of the field that was hayed from the part that wasn’t.
While not a replicated experiment, the data collected from the hay cutting and the subsequent clipping on the regrowth showed that the regrowth yield was nearly equal to the initial cutting of hay (see Table 2).
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The regrowth on a NWSG hayfield can be hayed in a second cutting some years but should not be done every year. Likewise, it can be grazed as long as adequate regrowth is present (~1 ½ feet), and it is not grazed 45 days prior to frost to allow the plant time to store energy for winter. More information about grazing and haying regrowth can be found in the above mentioned “Producing Hay from Native Warm-Season Grasses in the Mid-South” publication.
And now you know the rest of the story. Good day!*
*In an informal survey here at the Hamilton Native Outpost office, it appears that you need to be born before 1990 in order to know about Paul Harvey’s voice on the radio telling the news and “the rest of the story.”
Table 1. Yields for hay production for NWSG and tall fescue (for comparison). Yield data were taken at early seed-head emergence and are expressed on a dry-weight basis. Data from University of Kentucky variety trials conducted at Lexington, KY (2009 Native Warm Season Perennial Grasses Report).
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MISSOURI FORAGE AND GRASSLAND COUNCIL/NatGLC BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2019
Bruce Shanks President Agency-Lincoln University 165 Sassafrass Valley Lane Belle, MO 65013 573.578.3945 [email protected] Term 2012-2020 Allen Huhn President Elect Industry-MFA Farm Supply 201 Ray Young Drive Columbia, MO 65201 573.876.5239 [email protected] Term 2014-2021 Amy Hamilton Industry-Hamilton Native Outpost 16786 Brown Rd. Elk Creek, MO 65464 417.967.2190 [email protected] Term 2015-2022 Fred Martz NatGLC 6787 Palmer Road Columbia, MO 65202 573.474.4490 [email protected] Non-elected -NatGLC Chris Boeckmann Producer Lincoln University-Busby Farm Jefferson City, MO 65102 [email protected] Term 2013-2020 Justin Burns Alliance 17920 S. 1325 Rd. Stockton, MO 65785 417.955.0458 [email protected] Local Affiliate Director
Jim Grace Industry 5790 Hwy. J Albany, MO 64402 660.726.5884 [email protected] Term 2016-2019 Nathan Bilke Agency-NRCS 502 W. South Hills Drive Maryville, MO 64468 660.582.7423 x 117 [email protected] Term 2018-2021 Steve Freeman Treasurer 1171 Woods Fork Rd Hartville, MO 65667 417.254.0913 [email protected] Term 2014-2019 Charlie Besher Missouri Cattlemen’s Assoc. Rt. 5 Box 2402 Patton, MO 63662 573.225.3138 [email protected] Non Elected-MCA Amy Neier Producer 12126 MCR 613 Brinktown, MO 65443 573.291.1042 [email protected] Term 2015-2022 Loren Steele Producer 16788 Brown Rd Elk Creek, MO 65465 417.217.9897 [email protected] Term 2016-2019 Selma Mascaro NRCS 601 Business Loop 70 W Columbia, MO 65203 573.876.0901 [email protected] Non-elected NRCS
Brent Vandeloecht MO Dept. of Conservation 2901 W. Truman Blvd Jefferson City, MO 65102 573.522.4115 x 3128 [email protected] Non-elected MDC Jamie Kurtz Agency 3210 Hoover Dr. West Plains, MO 65775 417.256.7117 [email protected] Term 2014-2021 Melinda Barch Agency-NRCS 1050 Hwy. 72 E Rolla, MO 65401 573.364.6202 x 3 [email protected] Term 2013-2020 Mike Friesz Industry 12140 N. Farm Road 119 Brighton, MO 65617 417.840.7502 [email protected] Term 2017-2020 Jim Plassmeyer DNR-SWCP POB 176 Jefferson City, MO 65102 573.751.4932 [email protected] Non-elected DNR Harley Naumann University of MO 110 Waters Hall Columbia, MO 65211 573.882.9896 [email protected] Non-elected-MU
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Board of Directors Ballot 2020
Please check box per category before each candidate name if you wish to have these nominees appointed at the November meeting. The ballots must be received by November 1, 2019 at the MFGC/NatGLC office at 5235 Gravel Point Road, Mountain Grove, MO 65711-2680 OR emailed to [email protected]. They can also be turned in at the Registration Desk no later than 2:00 p.m. on the first day of the annual Conference. Producer
Eric Fuchs Eric Fuchs lives in southeast Missouri on a diversified livestock operation where he raises hair sheep and contract grazes cattle. He has been using Holistic planned grazing for over eight years and has had a grazing system on his operation for more than 20 years. Fuchs also is employed by Missouri Rural Water Association as a source water protection technician. He travels the entire state of Missouri working with small communities, helping them protect their drinking water. In that role he has seen firsthand the problems with agriculture land use and its effects on drinking water. Fuchs graduated from the University of Missouri in 1994 with a degree in agronomy. He served five years in the Air Force and earned a master's degree. He has a daughter and son.
Write In______________________________________________________________ Board Members eligible for another term: Please choose 2
Loren Steele Loren Steele lives in south-central Missouri near Elk Creek. Loren loves to study how livestock can improve the natural ecosystems that God intricately created. He also has a passion for low-stress stockmanship. Loren’s current adventure involves grazing a herd of goats and cattle. He is always attuned to the interaction of the livestock with the land. Loren is married to Elizabeth and has 3 young children, Clementine, Jacob, and Otis Ray. When he is not found taking care of the livestock, Loren enjoys hunting, fishing, and playing with the kids. Jim Grace Jim Grace was raised on a northwest Missouri cattle, sheep and row crop farm in Gentry County. His early interest in the power of forage-based farming was sparked while working on dairy, beef, and sheep farms in New Zealand during an International 4-H Youth Exchange Program while he was in college. Degrees in zoology and range management followed.
Today Jim and his wife Betty, along with their two grown children, operate Grace Native Seed, a family-owned seed and plant materials business, and they raise and background cattle on their 600-acre farm near Albany. Grace has been using MiG for 27 years.
Write in: ______________________________________________________________
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