Upcoming bale grazing workshop to provide key industry insights

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Aimed at the livestock industry, an upcoming bale grazing workshop will offer vital info on keeping animals on pasture, dealing with drought and renovating pastures.

Greg Halich, forage systems economist at the University of Kentucky, will lead the workshop and provide key insights from graziers who use bale grazing in southern Indiana.

The free, dual-session event is a collaboration among Purdue Extension, Partners IN Food and Farming, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, with support from Grazing Systems Supply, Urban Soil Health, the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative and the Indiana Forage Council.

Sessions will take place at the following locations, dates and times (Eastern time):

• Jefferson County Fairgrounds, Madison, Indiana — Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center, Dubois, Indiana — Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a pasture walk to see how graziers set up their bale grazing and the results it can have for pastures and livestock. A free lunch will also be available.

Keith Johnson, professor of agronomy at Purdue, explained, “The concept of bale grazing is a winter-feeding method where bales are strategically set out on pasture in the fall when weather conditions are good, and then are fed to livestock in the winter in rotation in the pasture using temporary electric fencing. Attendees will learn best management practices to make this system be most effective.”

For more information or to RSVP, visit indianafarming.org.

Writer/Media contact: Ashvini Malshe, 765-496-7480, malshea@purdue.edu

Source: Keith Johnson, 765-427-2775, johnsonk@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page