Success StoryForaging for Profits



Foraging for Profits

Author: Jay Hettmansperger

Planning Unit: Garrard County CES

Major Program: Forages

Plan of Work: Improving Agricultural Income

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

The problem

Cattle producers struggle to balance forage production and cattle stocking rate on their pastures.  Producers have a tendency to overstock their pastures which causes overgrazing.  Overgrazing leads to thinning grass strands and poor production and less profits.


The educational program response

The Garrard, Lincoln, Mercer and Boyle County ANR Extension agents presented a Forage program on Forage production and Rotational Grazing. University of Kentucky Forage specialist presented programs on establishing different forage species and utilizing rotational grazing to improve forage utilization and increased animal production.  


The participants/target audience

The target audience was area cattle producers and forage producers. The producers range of production was from a few acres to several hundred acres grown.


Other partners (if applicable)


Program impact or participant response.

The response was very positive toward information learned.  One hundred percent of producers said they learned something new about rotational grazing that they could use on their own farm. Ninety five percent of the producers responding said they are currently using information they learned from past Forage meeting about rotational grazing to change how they graze on their farms.  Information gained at past Forage meetings has increased profits for 89 percent of respondents.






Stories by Jay Hettmansperger


Fruit Tree Grafting

about 5 years ago by Jay Hettmansperger

The Garrard County ANR agent has been conducting a fruit tree grafting class every spring for severa... Read More


CPH-45

about 5 years ago by Jay Hettmansperger

The beef cattle market prices have been fluctuating and declining over the past year making profits ... Read More


Stories by Garrard County CES


Envirothon Recycles Nature-Based Knowledge

about 5 years ago by Eric Comley

Michael Clarke, in an interview about the state of our knowledge regarding nature, described a new p... Read More


2018 Leadership Bootcamp

about 5 years ago by Eric Comley

Kentucky 4-H aims to engage youth through hands-on leadership experiences where they can build leade... Read More