Grazing Links Web resources to help you make more meat and milk from your pastures. Center for Grassland Studies, University of Nebraska -- Features back issues of the Center's wide-ranging newsletter -- everything from a report on a Wisconsin study of pasture songbirds in the Winter '97 issue to articles about controlled burning as as a range-management tool. Great list of grassland and pasture links. Center for Holistic Management -- Formerly the Center for Holistic Resource Management. Well-articulated overview of Allan Savory's basic approach to " ... a unique management process that is helping people improve the quality of their livesand their financeswhile simultaneously restoring the environment on which we all depend. It is a process that allows people to make decisions, based on their deeper values, that will be economically, socially and environmentally sound." Holistic Management is certainly not synonymous with grazing, though many farmers who engage in this process do end up relying more on pasture-based production. Cornell Forage-Livestock Systems Home Page -- Includes Emmick and Fox's Prescribed Grazing Management Manual for New York State. Fence-Building Resources Online -- Links to fence-building guides for management-intensive grazing. Forage Livestock Systems -- Great site from the Univ. of W. Va. features fact sheets, a forage ID tutorial, and grazing classics in Ye Olde Forage Library Card Catalogue. Forage Systems Update Newsletter -- Forage System Research Center, University of Missouri. Just three articles posted so far (9/8/97). Hoping for more because the hard-copy edition has dynamite summaries of the excellent beef grazing research conducted at the FSRC by Jim Gerrish and others. Forgey's River-View Farm -- Indiana seasonal dairyman Dave Forgey has started his own website. It's still in it's embryonic stages (9/1/97), but will be worth checking as he adds to it. For more on his farm, see The Forgey Files. grassfarmer.com -- This growing site from American Farmland Trust features their Cove Mt. grass dairy projectinnovative parlors for dairy graziers, and tools for graziers. Great Lakes Intensive Rotational Grazing Network -- Includes Great Lakes Basin Grazier online newsletter, summary of the environmental benefits of rotational grazing, an interesting article on how grazing can improve Hungarian Partridge habitat, and more. Jason Rankin's Home Page -- Innovative Irish dairy grazier explains his techniques. Maryland Small Ruminant Page -- Excellent pasture and fencing information (and much, much more) for sheep and goats. North American Deer Farmers Association -- Information about getting started producing for a market that is growing 30 percent annually. U.S. farmers meet only 25 to 30 percent of domestic demand. Oregon State University Forage Information System -- Still under construction (3/4/97). Grazing page has excellent links to fencing vendors, livestock and grazing web sites, listservs and more. Owenlea Holsteins -- A great farmer-run site from grazing and internet pioneer F.W. Owen. "The purpose of this web site is to give dairy farmers a comfortable place to go on the Internet," he writes. But farmers of all kinds will appreciate his links to news, weather and other sites of interest. Lately F.W. has been uploading interesting pages from old farming publications, for example, how to build a limestone spreader. Highly recommended. Pasture FAQ -- A good primer on pasture management and rotational grazing from former Connecticut sheep grazier and ag consultant, Ronald Florence. See his home page for useful FAQs on haying, lambing and more. Penn State Forage Home Page -- Good profiles on selection and management of more than 20 species, plus information on fertility, establishment, pests, hay and silage, sampling and more. Seed Sources -- Find the varieties you need to fit your pasture system. Sustainable Ranching Research and Education Project -- University of California Extension project, includes controlled grazing basics, extensive nutrition info, fencing design and construction, events calendar, links and more. Don't miss the online low-stress livestock handling tips featuring info from stockmanship guru Bud Williams. Commercial Sites Amaizing graize -- Baldridge Hybrid corn varieties bred specifically to fill the summer pasture slump. Fencing Companies -- Great list of links at Oregon State University's Forage Information System website. Gallagher Power Fencing -- Growing site includes energizer catalog, FAQ, and hints. Geotek/Common Sense Fence -- MULE corner braces, fence products and fencing guide (.pdf file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader). GrazePro -- Software program designed to ease grazing recordkeeping and management from Softpro Business Solutions. Kencove Farm Fence -- Wide range of fencing, supplies and services. Kentucky Graziers Supply -- Fencing, water systems and other innovative grazing solutions. Kiwi Fence Systems -- Fencing, post drivers, weighing systems, do-it-yourself information. Max-Flex Fence Systems -- Information on different fence types, energizers. Contacts for dealers, additional print information. MG Fencing Systems -- Horse-friendly fence. Valley Oaks Ranch Supply -- STAFIX New Zealand Electric Fencing Product area includes excellent reference for planning pasture layout and constructing paddocks. Well-organized with good graphics throughout.
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