Ultra High Density Grazing Demo -Lake City, MI

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Attended the Michigan State University Lake City Experiment Station field day yesterday. The station is located in the Northwest area of the the Lower Penninsula. The entire grazing program has moved towards a ultra high density grazing program on the 600 acres of pastre available. Pretty impressive to see the results of 90, 60, and 30 days post grazing and then currently still grazing first growth on some pastures. Lots and lots of labor however, watering issues. It will be a long term study where they are measuring percent organic matter, forage yield, utilizaton etc. Average cow size up there is around 1500 to 1600 lbs. They have a goal to get cow size down to around 1250. This is where they have the Simmetal herd, on campus down state a Angus and Hereford herd is maintained.
Round up ready test plots on year five showed no significant differences in yield between seeding rates of 4,8, and 16 lbs. seeding rate. Controls showed significantly less yield when no herbicide was used and seeding rate on coventional varieties would need still high rates. A professor noted that seed companies have been producing the round up resistant seed and wharehousing it every since the court injunction and it is believed that there will be alot of cheaper seed available next spring. Also was noted that if the Supreme Court had not ruled in favor of lifting the injunction that the seed companies would have lost so much money that almost all biotech research in alfalfa would have ceased for a while.

 

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Thanks for the report. I am a big believer in rotational grazing and evidence that supports in efficacy is much appreciated. The evidence coming form my alma mater doesn't hurt either.