As interest in forage production and long-term ranch sustainability continues to grow, Oklahoma State University Extension is stepping in to fill an important educational gap for producers.
Michael Trammell says in a recent conversation with associate farm reporter Carli Davenport, the Oklahoma Grazing School was created because “it was kind of a gap in some of our extension workshops out there,” noting that while programs like cow-calf camps exist, “we kind of lacked a workshop training and developing more sustainable grazing practices.” He adds the school is a response to “a regional need for that type of training,” especially as producers look to improve efficiency amid strong cattle markets.
Forage management, he emphasizes, is foundational to the state’s cattle industry. “It’s the base for that herd,” Trammell explains, adding that “the whole sustainability of our cow-calf stocker operations depends on that.” With cattle prices high, he says producers must focus on “watching our carrying capacities” and “managing that forage properly throughout the season” to maintain productivity and profitability.
One of the biggest challenges he sees is improper stocking rates. “First and foremost is just having the correct stocking rate for those animals,” he says, stressing that understanding carrying capacity can “really improve the sustainability of our operation without damaging our forages.”
The two-day grazing school is designed to meet producers at all experience levels. Trammell says it will include “a mix of classroom instruction with hands-on activities in the field,” led by OSU specialists and NRCS personnel. Whether someone is new to grazing or an experienced rancher, he notes, “there will be something for you there to learn or fine-tune things within their operation.”
Producers can register online here.
