Grazing management speaker coming to Deshler Nov. 26

The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and UNL Extension are hosting former UNL Range Management Specialist, Pat Reece, on a four day, eight stop traveling road show across Nebraska.  Pat is the owner of and senior consultant at Prairie & Montane Enterprises, specializing in rangeland assessment and management in Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota. Previously, Pat’s many years with the University of Nebraska were focused on conducting research and developing innovative educational material and programs designed to optimize grazing management. He has been an invited speaker throughout the Great Plains from Texas to the Canadian provinces.
After forage resources and grazing management practices are discussed by local ranchers, Pat will briefly outline four simple guidelines for sustaining profitable range livestock-production enterprises. Each guideline will include a short presentation followed by open discussion to provide the best possible opportunity for participant interaction.
Striving for resilient plant communities will be the first topic. Plant recovery after grazing requires soil water and simultaneously favorable air temperatures. Absence of livestock does not guarantee the recovery of preferred plant species. Timing of rest or deferment is the critical issue. Learn how to make year-to-year changes in pasture-use sequences to give the most-in-need pastures the best opportunity to recover in the subsequent year. Pat will also provide a simple guideline for determining the number of pastures needed to optimize plant resilience.
Secondly, management decisions directly affect long-term carrying capacity of rangeland and livestock performance. Learn the true meaning of moderate stocking rate and which indicators to look for to sustain high levels of range condition and animal performance.
During the past decade, the magnitude and frequency of drought have substantially increased. Don’t let avoidable circumstances end your ranching career. The third step to skillful grazing management is preparation of a drought plan based on reliable indicators of forage deficits and estimated livestock use of forage. Timely management actions will greatly reduce loss of equity and the risk of long-term reductions in herbage production potential.
The final guideline will focus on changes in management needed to accomplish different sets of objectives as people and resources in your enterprise change over time. Learn how to use simple indicators and a limited number of records to optimize these adaptive changes in management.
Reece will present his guidelines in eight Nebraska locations including the Thayer County Fairgrounds, at Deshler, on Monday, Nov. 26, from 5-9 p.m. For more details contact Darci McGee, UNL Extension Office in Thayer Co., 402-768-7212, or UNL Extension Office in Nuckolls Co., 402-225-2381.
Those wishing to attend must preregister by Nov. 19 to reserve a meal by calling the UNL Extension office indicated. Registrations will be taken until full.
For more information, contact Ron Bolze, Coordinator, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition  at 402-426-2033 (home office); 402-32- 0067 (cell) or ron@nebraskagrazinglands.org.