The Ontario Forage Council is pleased to announce that Profitable Pastures will proceed in webinar format again for 2022. There will be three live webinars airing daily from 7:30 - 8:30 pm EST from March 8-10, 2022. There is no cost to register and CEUs will be available for Certified Crop Advisors. All presentations will be made available on the Ontario Forage Council's YouTube Channel approximately one-week post-event. Subscribe to be notified of new presentation postings.
March 8, 2022, 7:30 pm EST - Planned Grazing – Making the Cows work for you - Pam Iwanchysko
Planned grazing refers to the process of moving livestock from paddock to paddock in a pasture, at the correct time and for the correct duration. Managers using this type of system, subdivide their pastures into paddocks which enables them with the power of controlling the livestock movement. A project was developed and monitored at the Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives Research Farm near Brandon, Manitoba that provided a means of showcasing proper grazing management in order to promote the reduction and elimination of the practice of continuous grazing. It demonstrated the positive impact of monitoring and managing the movement of animals, with the proper timing and duration, allowing for proper amounts of rest and recovery time for the plants and how that can rehabilitate the landscape. Pam will provide an overview of the results of the three-year project.
March 9, 2022, 7:30 pm EST - 2022 Mapleseed Pasture Award Recipient, Mark Shouldice, Big Rock Bisons – Striving for success as an Ontario Bison Farmer
Mark will share his family’s story as a Bison Producers in Ontario. Starting from the beginning of learning about the bison business, searching for an ideal farm, and then what it takes to both establish a herd and raise and handle these massive and majestic animals. They focus on regenerative, sustainable, and profitable farming practices that produce both nutritious and delicious protein. All while raising healthy/ happy bison in a low-stress environment with a focus on having a healthy grassland ecosystem that has a positive impact on the environment.
March 10, 2022, 7:30 pm EST - Grazing Ruminants- The original soil builders. Lessons learned from my Nuffield Scholarship - Ryan Boyd
Ryan will detail insights gained from visiting with farmers and ranchers across the globe researching grazing systems as part of his Nuffield Scholarship and a lifetime of grazing on his own farm. New ideas about how to effectively manage pastures to maximize stocking rate, soil carbon sequestration, and overall profitability will be shared including the technique of ultra-high stock density grazing.
source: news release
