Making a living on grass

Making a living on grass

NCTA students representing range management and livestock industry management courses recently attended agriculture forums at UNL. The public is invited to join students for a grasslands program with grazing consultant Allen Williams on Nov. 14 at the NCTA Education Center. (NCTA photo)
NCTA students representing range management and livestock industry management courses recently attended agriculture forums at UNL. The public is invited to join students for a grasslands program with grazing consultant Allen Williams on Nov. 14 at the NCTA Education Center. (NCTA photo)

Nov. 8, 2016

By NCTA News                                                                                        

Curtis, Neb. – Livestock producers know that management of grazing lands is key to success of their livestock enterprise.

Two opportunities to hear from world-class consultants in grazing management involve Aggies from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.

Last week, 13 students from the range and livestock management courses at NCTA accompanied their animal science professor, Doug Smith, Ph.D., to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

First, NCTA students were able to hear internship presentations from students studying Grazing Livestock Systems at UNL, and afterward visited with other students and the faculty from UNL and Southeast Community College.

The primary draw for the students, however, was a question and answer session with Dr. Paul Genho, who founded the King Ranch Institute at Texas A&M University, and to hear his discussion about the future of agriculture.

“Students had the opportunity to listen to great advice from someone involved in the beef cattle Industry for decades,” Smith said. “Dr. Paul Genho shared words of wisdom that all in the attendance could utilize in their life.”

 “This was a great opportunity for our NCTA students, and we thank the Rural Futures Institute, Center for Grassland Studies, and the Engler Entrepreneurship Program for bringing Dr. Genho to the campus in Lincoln,” Smith said.

 A second opportunity for NCTA students along with all livestock producers in the region will be Monday as Allen Williams of GFI, LLC, comes to Curtis for a public presentation hosted by Nebraska and Frontier County Extension, along with the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition.

Williams is a founding partner and president of GFI, LLC, an agriculture and food industry consulting firm.  His company specializes in farm and food company sustainability and profitability, livestock genetics and management, soil health initiatives and research, and whole farm planning. He also is a founding partner of Grass Fed Beef, LLC, and holds degrees in animal science from Clemson University and a doctorate from Louisiana State University.

His presentation topic is “Dirt Rich or Dirt Poor: Principles of Soil Health, Adaptive Grazing and Cover Crop Livestock Integration.”  The evening program is from 5-9 p.m. at NCTA’s Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center auditorium.

Pre-registration for the meal was due Nov. 5 to Frontier County Extension Office.  Program inquiries regarding space availability should be made to (308) 367-4424.

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Source:  Douglas Smith, Ph.D., Division Chair- Animal Science/ Ag Education, 308-367-5286, Doug.smith@unl.edu

Writer:   Mary Crawford, NCTA News, 308-367-5231, Mcrawford@unl.edu

NCTA.Grazing.Talks.11.08.16

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