View Proposal

Wisconsin

Waukesha

• Yes

• Individual

April 1, 2023

January 31, 2025

• No

No

• Animal Production (includes aquaculture, grazing)

• Animals (includes bees, fish)

I (Ryan Heinen) have an education in natural resources with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Wildlife Management with 10 years work experience in conservation and natural resources and 10 years experience in livestock and organic farming. I am a graduate of the National Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Program and South Dakota Grazing School. Currently I manage an 80 cow organic dairy herd, grass-fed beef herd and grass-fed lamb flock. Our farm also raises organic heritage grains and eggs. The whole 430 acre farm is certified organic. In addition to the field crops and livestock the farm includes a 10 acre vegetable CSA farm. The farm is being managed for soil health, and a number of oak woodlands and fields are being restored to native prairie and oak savanna to promote native species of all kinds.

Farmland covers roughly ⅓ of the entire state of WI, with permanent pasture making up about 7% of the total farmland acreage. We know agriculture is a strong driver of biodiversity loss on the landscape that contributes to the disappearance of our native invertebrate pollinators. However, agriculture can also be a dedicated solution to this crisis by providing quality, long term habitat for wildlife. The goal of this project is to assess the effectiveness of planted prairie in supporting both pollinator life and productive cattle forage. We expect that the results from this project will inform if pastures can play a leading role in pollinator conservation and an on-the-ground study for graziers to refer to as they consider where or how prairie fits into their farm and grazing system.

To assess the compatibility of diverse planted prairie as both pollinator habitat and cattle pasture, we will survey the nutritional quality, floral resources, and invertebrate pollinator presence in a planted prairie pasture under different grazing pressures. In addition, we will also track how cattle grazing may influence (short-term) the prairie pasture plant community and collect baseline data on soil health in the prairie pasture system.

A diverse prairie mix was planted in the spring of 2018 and managed through two seasons of establishment before being burned and rotationally grazed for the first time in 2021. The prairie pasture will be divided into multiple paddocks of 1 - 3 acres to allow for a comparison of different grazing intensities with paddocks grazed at 0, 1, and 2 grazings through the growing season. Cattle will be rotated through each paddock, grazing for one to two days to a vegetation height of about 8” and then allowed to rest a minimum of 40 days before any subsequent grazing (if any). Pre- and post-grazed vegetation height will be measured using a pasture stick to track growth and recovery. Soils will also be collected and analyzed to assess soil characteristics, including bioactivity, to better inform how prairie pastures may compare to other pasture or cropping systems.

From late-May to September 1st of 2023 and 2024, we will collect bi-weekly (every other week) vegetation samples for lab analysis of forage quality to track how nutrients change throughout the growing season. Previous to and post grazing, each prairie paddock will be rapidly surveyed for vegetation composition (richness and abundance). In addition, prairie paddocks will be surveyed at least three times through the 2023 and 2024 growing season for floral resources (richness and abundance of blooms) and pollinator presence (richness and abundance). Floral and pollinator surveys will be conducted before and after grazing “disturbances” to assess how floral bloom and pollinator presence may change with time since grazing. To the best of our non-lethal means, pollinators will be identified to genus level (for butterflies) and functional grouping (for native bees) using Xerces’ Upper Midwest Community Science Pollinator Monitoring Guide.

During the two growing seasons of 2023 and 2024, we will:

1. Evaluate forage quality of diverse planted prairie using laboratory diagnosis
2. Evaluate flower richness and abundance through the growing season (June 1 - Oct. 1) of grazed prairie paddocks
3. Survey plant recovery from grazing and changes in plant species composition; specifically looking at changes in cover of functional groupings of species: warm season grasses, cool season grasses, forbs.
4. Survey pollinator presence (bees and butterflies)
5. Record baseline information on soil health of prairie pasture
6. Share findings through a field day, conference presentation, and a published “fact-sheet”

• Environmental Sustainability
  • Improved landscape diversity/ecological services
  • Improved soil quality/health
• Production and Production Efficiency
  • Improved crop production and/or production efficiency

Benefits	What will be measured	How you will measure results
Improved Landscape Diversity/Ecological Services	Pollinator presence and richeness	Observational surveys collecting information before and after grazing.
Improved Landscape Diversity/Ecological Services	Flower abundance and richness	Line-intercept or transect/quadrat surveys conducted before and after grazing
Improved Crop Production and/or Production Efficiency	Forage quality (nutrient composition) of prairie pasture vegetation	Lab analysis
Improved Soil Quality/Health	Soil organic matter, bioactivity, and nutrient analysis	Lab analysis

This project will build on the existing research of past SARE grants and other ag. publications that have focused on the pasture potential (forage quality) of tall native grasses: Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, and Switchgrass. Few, if any, resources exist that have measured both prairie grasses and forbs in a nutrient analysis. In our project, we will expand the species analyzed to include a more complete prairie ecosystem: that of a mix of both grasses and forbs.

In addition, past SARE research efforts have primarily investigated management practices that establish stands of warm season grasses or prairie and the services that habitat provides to row crop or diversified vegetable farms. In contrast, our research will explore how a healthy, established prairie pasture (planted in 2018) may provide both grazer and pollinator benefits. Furthermore, no regionally appropriate resources exist that detail if or how pollinators utilize grazed prairie habitat. As such, our survey of pollinator presence will establish a baseline of information on whether grazed, planted prairie provides a pollinator benefit.

DATE	OUTREACH ACTIVITY	WHO PARTICIPATES
June 2023	Develop and distribute field day fliers.	Ryan Heinen, Gwenyn Hill Farm; Micah Kloppenburg, Xerces WI Pollinator Habitat Specialist
August 2023	Document project progress on website. Take photos and post them with a detailed blog post on Gwenyn Hill Farm website.	Linda Halley, Gwenyn Hill Farm; Micah Kloppenburg, Xerces WI Pollinator Habitat Specialist
July 2023 and 2024	Hold pasture walk at Gwenyn Hill Farm.	Expect 20 or more farmers at each pasture walk.
October 2023 and 2024	Gwenyn Hill Farm CSA open house	Expect 20 or more CSA members at open house pasture walk
December 2024	Share Planted Prairie Grazing fact sheet with farm organizations and on Xerces website.	Micah Kloppenburg, Xerces WI Pollinator Habitat Specialist
January/February 2025	Give presentation at GrassWorks Conference	Speakers: Ryan Heinen, Gwenyn Hill Farm; Micah Kloppenburg, Xerces WI Pollinator Habitat Specialist. Expect 15 to 30 farmers and educators at the presentation.

• Yes

Beef and Dairy Cattle

Approximately 30 head of cattle, including cows, calves, and yearling heifers.

Animals are already owned and on site. Beef cattle herd has been here for 4 years, dairy cattle for 2.5 years. Each herd was purchased from farmers in Wisconsin.

• No

Stock density will be controlled through the use of temporary electric polywire fence. Stock density will be varied based on available forage and how much impact I would like to see at the site. Average density will be 15 head per acre for 24 hours.

Beef cattle are on pasture year round, wooded areas are used during extreme cold and wind. Dairy cattle are on pasture during the grazing season, and outwintered on a bedding pack during the winter.

Dairy wintering areas are cleaned of manure daily during the winter.

Water is available in all pastures through underground water lines, or with a 1600 gal water tank on a running gear. Feed is all pasture during the grazing season, cattle are moved once a day generally. Dairy cows are moved to fresh grass twice a day.

Cattle will graze high quality native grasses in the pasture, with water, salt and mineral provided at all times.

Cattle are not vaccinated, parasites are naturally controlled by moving to new pasture daily, with at least 25 days rest on pasture before re-grazing.

No distress to animals during the project. Cattle will graze pasture, and then we will evaluate pasture response to grazing.

Gwenyn Hill farm livestock staff will handle all moving and handling of cattle. Staff are currently well trained.

Animals will remain at the project site. Beef steers will eventually be slaughtered at a USDA inspected butcher.

No off site transportation will be used.

Butchered at a licensed slaughter facility.

Beef will be used as food for people.

Whitewater Veterinary Clinic, 527 South Janesville Street, Whitewater Wisconsin 53190. 262-473-2930

Category	Description	Amount
Other direct costs	Comparison of Near Infrared vs Wet Chemistry Lab analysis of prairie pasture vegetation quality	$3,900
Other direct costs	Lab analysis of prairie pasture soil health	$470
Other direct costs	Pasture walk	$3,000
Personnel	Ryan Heinen, Farmer and project coordinator	$400
Personnel	Micah Kloppenburg, Xerces Society Specialist	$0
Personnel	Farm labor	$960
Personnel	Set up pasture paddocks and move cattle	$0
Total: $8,730		$8,730

Category	Details/Justification
Other direct costs	Comparison of Near Infrared vs Wet Chemistry Lab analysis of prairie pasture vegetation quality - $3,900 20 Near infrared Spectroscopy analyses at $25 per analysis + 20 Wet Chemistry analyses of core nutrients plus energy and sugar at $170 per analysis = $3900
Other direct costs	Lab analysis of prairie pasture soil health - $470 4 Midwest Labs soil health test analysis at $80 each + one assessment of soil bioactivity @ $150 = $470
Other direct costs	Pasture walk - $3,000 2 pasture walk events including local food, tent rental, porta potty rental, and other supplies and handouts $1,500 each event. Co-hosted with Glacierland RC&D
Personnel	Ryan Heinen, Farmer and project coordinator - $400 Ryan Heinen, Farmer and project coordinator, will collect forage samples and submit them to the lab. ½ hour per sample x 40 samples for a total of 20 hours @ $20/hr = $400
Personnel	Micah Kloppenburg, Xerces Society Specialist - $0 Micah Kloppenburg, Xerces Society Specialist, will lead and conduct vegetation and pollinator surveys. Compile results. Survey methodology planning, preparation, and implementation. Organize and process data, compile results.
Personnel	Farm labor - $960 Farm labor to support vegetation and pollinator surveys Labor at 4 hour per survey with a total of 6 vegetation + 6 pollinator surveys collected @ $20/hr. (4 x 12 x $20) = $960
Personnel	Set up pasture paddocks and move cattle - $0 Move and set up paddocks for cattle grazing of prairie plantings.