Pasture and grazing managment workshop
PRINCESS ANNE, MD – (Sept. 10, 2012) – A workshop for livestock and horse owners explores new concepts in pasture and grazing management at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Sat., Sept. 29, from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The morning session involves a lecture in the Food Science and Technology Building, while the afternoon session provides hands-on experiences on the UMES farm. Dr. Don Ball, Extension agronomist and professor emeritus at Auburn University, is the keynote speaker.
Ball is a native of Owensboro, Ky., where he grew up on a farm. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Kentucky University and Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Auburn University. From 1976-2011, he worked as a forage crop agronomist for Extension at Auburn. Over the course of his career, he has authored two books, “Southern Forages” and “Practical Forage Concepts,” as well as numerous other articles and publications. He is a former president of the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) and is technical advisor to all four Oregon Forage Seed Commissions. Among his many awards and accolades are the following: the USDA Superior Service Award, the AFGC Medallion Award, and fellowships in both the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America. In 2001, he was inducted into the Western Kentucky University Hall of Distinguished Alumni.
Workshop presenters include the following Extension professionals: Dr. Nelson Escobar, small ruminant production and management Extension specialist, UMES; Dr. Amy Burk, Extension equine specialist, University of Maryland; Michael Hall, grazing lands specialist, NRCS East National Technology Support Center, Greensboro, NC; and Michael Sigrist, farm management specialist, UMES.
Workshop topics will focus on year-round rotational grazing for livestock and horses and utilizing tall fescue and Bermudagrass in conjunction with sericea lespedeza, which shows promise for managing intestinal parasite burdens in sheep and goats. Bermudagrass, while new to this area, is a warm-season grass particularly well suited to the climatic conditions and soils of the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Sessions include: Grazing Behavior of Sheep, Goats, Camelids, Bovines and Equine; Bermudagrass: An Answer for Summer Forage Production and Cover for Heavy Use Areas; Extending Grazing and Reducing Stored Feed Needs; Sericea Lespedeza: A Pasture, Hay and Conservation Plant; and an overview of the year-round rotational grazing demonstration project being conducted at UMES. A field tour of the rotational grazing project site will round out the day.
For more information about the New Concepts in Pasture and Grazing Management for Livestock and Horse Owners Workshop, contact Kayla Parmar at 410-651-6070 or by email at kjparmar@umes.edu. To register, visit www.umes.edu/1890-mce. The registration fee, which includes educational materials and lunch, is $15 per person. Workshop sponsors include University of Maryland Extension, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Small Farm Outreach Program and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
###
Suzanne Waters Street, agriculture communication specialist, UMES – University of Maryland Extension, 410-651-6084, sstreet@umes.edu.