CATTLE CONCEPTS
| ILLINOIS BEEF ASSOCIATION | SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS | WWW.ILLINOISBEEF.COM |
Market Report
Greenville Livestock Auction
March 9, 2024
Total:
Replacement: 156 (100.0%)
Trade: Special Stock Sale - active trade, good demand
Fairview Sale Barn
March 14, 2024 Total: 1,230
1,230 (100.0%) Replacement: 0 (0.0%) Trade: Good to very good demand
United Producers
March 12, 2024
GUIDE TO GRAZING
SPRINGTIME MEANS GREEN GRASS - BUT HOW DO WE BALANCE A HEALTHY PASTURE AND GRAZE SUFFICIENTLY
Across the state, pastures are starting to green up – a sign of fresh growth that producers look forward to each spring. With the right balance of rain, fencing, grazing, and stocking, farmers can manage a healthy pasture while being efficient with their resources.
With a variety of grazing systems, each beef operation does it a little differently, but we all have the same goal – be efficient and productive when feeding cattle. Pasture grazing is only worthwhile if proper management is in place, which is why it is important to have a plan. The first part of that grazing plan should be determining what type of grazing system is best suited for your operation and your livestock.
Most cattle operations in Illinois have some version of what is known as a continuous grazing system – meaning that livestock have unlimited access to a single pasture. With smaller herds and pastures, this might be the most sensible or only option available to you. This system requires less management and less overhead cost, but we tend to see lower forage quality and thus, lower stocking rates, uneven pasture use, and
even greater loss to trampling.
Rotational grazing is a wonderful way to increase forage production and improve pasture conditions. Rotating cattle between two or more paddocks requires more management, and more fencing, but this system allows regrowth and adequate time to develop healthier forages. When you rest a paddock for a period in a rotational system, you are increasing forage production, stocking rate, and extending your grazing season.
Beyond your grazing system, it is important to consider the overall health and quality of the forages your cattle are grazing. For many farms in our state, this may be addressed through regenerative agricultural practices. Regenerative agriculture aims to make improvements to soil health, leading to positive benefits across the land and the producer’s profitability. Monitoring soil health while sustainably grazing a pasture to increase forage quality and quantity are just two environmental stewardship practices beef cattle producers can do for the betterment of their herd and their land.
by Devin Bollman
Of course there are the more basic principles of grazing, with considerations for stocking rate, fencing types, and the one variable we cannot control at all, weather. The size of a pasture, combined with the quality of the forages growing there are two factors to consider when determining the stocking rate. When determining how many cattle you should graze per paddock, consider the density – how many pounds of animal you have in one paddock at a given period. Low density can lead to wasted forage and even result in a less productive pasture overtime. Too high of a density can diminish profits in terms of lower intake and decreased animal growth, while consequently reducing forage quality and depleting pasturage. Consider these factors as you turn your cattle to grass and begin your grazing season this year. Let’s hope the weather continues to cooperate and give us the best chances at a healthy grazing season.
Producer Events
Whiteside County Cattlemen’s Association
Annual Banquet | April 19, 2024
New Life Lutheran Church, Sterling - The Spring Banquet and Scholarship Fundraiser will feature guest speaker, Dr. Temple Grandin. Tickets must be purchased in advance from Whiteside Cattlemen’s board members.
Jo Daviess County Beef Association
Annual Meeting - Stage Coach Event Center, Apple River June 15, 2024 - Annual Meeting & Scholarship Fundraiser - tickets can be purchased ahead of time
Association News
Beef Leadership Academy Applications
The Illinois Beef Association will soon be accepting applications for our ‘24-’25 Beef Leadership Academy class. BLA is a yearlong program for beef producers age 22-40.
Applications will open May 9th. If you are interested in learning more about the Beef Leadership Academy, contact Annie Schoetmer at the IBA Office.