News Release
Montgomery County MIG-GRAZING CONCEPTS WORKSHOP
One of the most critical decisions facing livestock producers is how to best utilize the
forage resources on their farm. Feed costs represent the major production cost for all species of
livestock and of that costs; harvested feed represents the major share of the total feed costs. So
the goal of every livestock producer who has any type of grazing animal should be to have the
animal harvest as much feed as possible and to utilize a higher percent of the forages that are
produced on their land. On many farms forages are currently being under management and
under utilized.
Management Intensive Grazing (MIG) or rotational grazing is a practice that is being
utilized by producers to help extend the grazing season, earlier in the spring and later in the fall,
and to utilize a higher percent of the forages produced on their land. The Montgomery County
Extension Unit has scheduled Illinois Grazing concepts Workshop for Thursday, November 20,
2003. The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Montgomery County
Extension Office, #1 Industrial Park Drive, in Hillsboro.
Highlighting the program will be a panel of graziers. John Marcoot, is a dairy grazier
form Greenville; Cliff Schuette is a beef year around grazier from Breese, and Stan Schutte is a
poultry –grass fed beef grazier from Stewardson. Tom Kolkmeier, Forage Specialist from
Pennington Seeds, will cover managing novel endophyte fescue, Steve Wallace, Forage
Specialist, Barenbrug Seed; will cover the total farm concept of selecting forage species. Ben
Tracy, University of Illinois Agriecologist, will cover plant diversity and soil heath in a grazing
environment, and University of Illinois Extension Educator Ed Ballard, and Roger Staff, NRCS
Grassland Grazing Specialist, will discuss topics like why should you graze, nutritional concepts
of extended grazing, and environmental benefits of grazing. The workshop will include
information for all grazing species of animals, such as beef, dairy, goats, horses, sheep, etc.
There will be a $15 registration fee, if preregistered by November 13; at the door
registration is $20, which includes lunch and handout materials. To register make a check
payable to the University of Illinois and mail to University of Illinois Extension, Montgomery
County Extension Unit, #1 Industrial Park Drive, Hillsboro, IL 62049.
Sponsors for the workshop are University of Illinois Extension, Montgomery County
Extension Unit, Illinois Grassland Initiative Council and Natural Resources Conservation
Service. For additional details contact Kelli Bassett, Unit Educator for Montgomery County at
217/532-3941 or Ed Ballard, Animal Systems Educator at 217/347-5126.
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University of Illinois ~ U.S. Department of Agriculture ~ Local Extension Councils Cooperating
University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.