1995 Annual Report for FNC95-095
Intensive Grazing Economic Study
Summary
Management intensive grazing has proven to be an environmentally sound practice on marginal land. In order for this system to be adopted, it must be proven to generate a higher return per acre than less sustainable enterprises.
Objectives: 1) To establish and operate a management intensive grazing system for beef cattle/cow-calf; and 2) To generate detailed economic records to determine feasibility of producing beef on well-managed pasture in an area where highly erodible land is not compatible with row crop production.
Results: The start-up year presented a challenge in evaluating economic outcome results. However, 30 cow-calf pairs on a 45-acre, 9-paddock grazing system produced 236.33 pounds of calf per acre in 125 days. In additon, cows gained 1.2 pounds per day. Supplemental hay was fed during 15-day AI breeding.