Welcome to Pasture 101!
Pasture 101 is designed to provide information on several aspects of grazing management through a series of modules. Each module addresses a different topic related to grazing management, complete with extra resources for more information and practical tools like worksheets and quizzes to help you test your knowledge and then plan on your own operation.
The course can be completed from start to finish by reviewing the information in each module or each module can be accessed individually.
The Pasture 101 modules include:
- Selecting Forage Species
- Establishing Perennial Pastures
- Grazing-Related Animal Health Concerns
- Fencing & Water Infrastructure On Pasture
- Managing & Planning Grazing
- Extended Grazing Systems
- Rejuvenating Tame Pastures
- Managing Nutrients For Tame Pastures
- Managing Pasture Soils
These modules have been arranged in a logical order, but you can jump to any module at any time.
In addition to these topics focused on agronomy and animal management, it is also important to consider the financial aspect of grazing management. There are many tools available from whole farm financial planning to enterprise specific cost of production models. Pastures are one enterprise in the overall farm or ranch. It is important to evaluate the financial health of this enterprise, but it is equally important to remember that financial information from one enterprise must be considered within the context of the entire farming operation.
One such financial tool you may find useful is a pasture focused cost of production manual from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives.
The Beef Cattle Research Council’s (BCRC) Recordkeeping and Benchmarking resources also contain specific information on what records may be especially useful to keep with regards to pasture and rangeland to help track trends and improve profitability.