A flexible approach to rotational grazing management whereby animal nutrient demand through the grazing season is balanced with forage supply and available forage is allocated based on animal requirements. I like this one as the emphasis is on the importance of the management. The higher the density, with shorter grazing periods, the more uniform the urinemanure distribution will be. When it comes to designing management intensive grazing mig systems, every farm or ranch is different. The animals are merely harvesters, like lawnmowers. Management intensive grazing stockman grass farmer. Management intensive grazing study morning ag clips. We provide the resources as well as the tools to implement your best grazing strategy and ranch infrastructure. The person who coined the phrase management intensive grazing, jim gerrish, answers that question in the new book management intensive grazing, the grassroots of grass farming.
Over the years, many terms have been used to describe the bettermanaged grazing systems. Mig integrates grazing management parameters, including stocking density, stocking rate, stocking period, and rest period, into operational planning and application. This might sound kind of boring but i promise its pretty cool. Managementintensive grazing, the grassroots of grass farming. Management intensive rotational grazing mirg the 25 cowcalf pairs from the continuous grazing treatment grazed a 1. Mig takes into consideration not just the animals, but the whole system. Daily intake of forage and supplemental feed is more efficiently rationed. By rationing the pasture in a mig system, farmers can make more efficient use of their land than if they. Ranchers sing the praises of mob grazing of cattle beef.
Managementintensive grazing mig refers to several grazing systems wherein animals are allowed to graze only a small portion of the pasture an individual. In managementintensive grazing, the grassroots of grass farming, he uses vivid. Management intensive grazing kerr center the kerr center for. He begins from the ground up with the soil, and advances through the management of pastures and animals. Faith, who graduated from the university of wyoming with a degree in rangeland ecology and watershed management, also attended one of jim gerrishs fourday managementintensive grazing schools. Managementintensive grazing mig refers to several grazing systems wherein animals are allowed to graze.
Using vivid images and detailed explanations, jim gerrish takes graziers stepby step through the mig system. How to manage pastures using rotational or management. Grazing mig, putting the emphasis on management of the growth of the grass. Managementintensive grazing chelsea green publishing. Does managementintensive grazing grow more, better quality. Judy says he made the switch because with the mig system he didnt feel. Mob grazing cattle made simple homesteading and livestock.
It defines mig, explains and demonstrates how to calculate grazing. The person who coined the phrase managementintensive grazing, jim gerrish, answers that question in the new book managementintensive grazing, the grassroots of grass farming. Although milk yields are often lower in rotational systems, net farm income per cow is often greater as compared to confinement operations. Our objective is to shorten the period of time any piece of pasture or rangeland is exposed to grazing animals.
This is due to the additional costs associated with herd health and purchased feeds are greatly reduced in management intensive rotational grazing systems. Like holistic managementanother adaptive grazing managment approachit considers. Hw missouri rancher greg judy spent 14 years using management intensive grazing mig on his ranch but four years ago he made the switch to mob or high stock density grazing. Apr 02, 2019 management intensive grazing mig is a system of grazing where the management is intensive, but the grazing is not. You can also order jims book, along with other books from sgf. Managementintensive grazing mig is the movement of grazing animals through a series of paddocks for brief periods of time so that the forages are allowed periods of regrowth to restore reserves and in so doing, the animals are provided with high quality feed if returned at the proper time. In virtually every area of the usa, yeararound grazing. Using vivid images and detailed explanations, jim takes graziers step by step through the mig system. It defines mig, explains and demonstrates how to calculate grazing period, rest period, and stock density, and summarizes two kerr center projects involving mig. Joel salatin of polyface farms famously implements mig with his cattle. Understanding the intensive in intensive grazing unl beef. A practical guide to yeararound grazing by jim gerrish will show you how much it really costs to produce a ton of hay. The equicentral system series book 2 volume 2 by jane myers and stuart myers nov 6, 2015. He explains how to use nature as your guide for lowcost winter grazing.
A growing number of ranchers are using rotational grazing to get more production from pastures. It has chapters on fencing, water systems, and most other relevant issues with mig and grazing in general. The person who coined the phrase managementintensive grazing, jim gerrish, answers that question in the new book managementintensive grazing, the grassroots of. Typically, a sixinch residual was left after grazing.
Managementintensive grazing miggrazing system beef. Every producer has a different set of goals, challenges and resources to consider. Management intensive rotational grazing will be emphasized because it offers a number of advantages over both continuous grazing and less intensive rotational systems. Managementintensive grazing by jim gerrish american.
Management intensive grazing this is a report on the kerr centers experience with management intensive grazing mig. The optimum mig system provides the following major advantages. Oct 01, 20 management intensive grazing mig is difficult to define because of its flexibility. Intensifying pasture management pays farm progress.
Gerrish coined the phrase management intensive grazing mig, putting the emphasis on management of the growth of the grass. More recently grazing consultant jim gerrish and others use the term management intensive grazing mig. They both grew up in agriculture families, but learning from others has broadened their skills everything from grazing management to business. Using vivid images and detailed explanations, gerrish takes graziers step by step through the mig system. Managementintensive grazingthe grass roots of grass farmingby jim gerrishthe person. Management intensive grazing systems, of which there are many variations, can increase the yield of animal products per acre and, in most cases, net profit per farm. Feb 01, 2004 in managementintensive grazing, the grassroots of grass farming, he uses vivid images and detailed explanations to take graziers stepbystep through the mig system. Management intensive grazing the grass roots of grass farming by jim gerrish the person who coined the phrase management intensive grazing, jim gerrish answers that question in management intensive grazing, the grassroots of grass farming. Managementintensive grazing by jim gerrish, 9780972159708, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Using vivid images and detailed explanations, jim gerrish takes graziers stepbystep through the mig system. Management intensive grazing the grassroots of grass farming. Mig books are available for those interested in learning more, including.
In managementintensive grazing, the grassroots of grass farming, he uses vivid images and detailed explanations to take graziers stepbystep through the mig system. Simply put, mig is a systems approach to keeping grazing animals of all kinds. Gerrish coined the phrase managementintensive grazing mig, putting the emphasis on management of the growth of the grass. The person who coined the phrase managementintensive grazing, jim gerrish, answers that question in the new book managementintensive grazing. Its not intensive labor or intensive animal movement. Knowing whats bad and whats good can be something of a minefield. The manual also introduces readers to the properties of soils, the fundamentals of plant growth and animal nutrition and the economics of beef and dairy production based on grazing as the primary source of forage. Management intensive grazing mig for sheep 8 youtube. Finding the best management intensive grazing suitable for your needs isnt easy. Aug 01, 2017 management intensive grazing is an intensive form of rotational grazing, which generally utilizes at least 20 paddocks with very short grazing periods of one to seven days followed by a grass recovery period of 60 to 90 days depending on the weather conditions. It defines mig, explains and demonstrates how to calculate grazing period, rest period, and stock density, and summarizes two kerr center. Animals are used as tools to influence change or to maintain diversity for the. These include more stable production during poor growing conditions especially drought, greater yield potential, higher quality forage available. Ranchers sing the praises of mob grazing of cattle mob grazing, or shortduration, highintensity grazing, improves pasture while increasing stocking rate, its practitioners say.
Most folks dont fully understand what the word intensive refers to when used with grazing. Feb 01, 2004 gerrish coined the phrase management intensive grazing mig, putting the emphasis on management of the growth of the grass. He begins from the ground up with the soil, and advances through the management of pastures. Managementintensive grazing by jim gerrish chelsea green. Its a good book and has lots of practical information. It is multiple moves per day and the highstock density that differentiate mob grazing from other management intensive grazing mig forms, he says. Multiple daily moves, watching the degree of utilization and focusing on animal performance are the keys to a successful mobgrazing program. Sep 28, 2019 mig is the term i use to describe an approach to grazing management that is more intensive than the setstocking or slow rotations common in the ranching industry. Written primarily for those new to mig grazing, jims insight and personal experience can also help experienced graziers fine tune their grazing operations. Management cant happen unless there is a goal or objective. Management intensive grazing hoof hearted farm llc. In management intensive grazing, the grassroots of grass farming, he uses vivid images and detailed explanations to take graziers stepbystep through the mig system. Management intensive grazing or mig is the name for a variety of methods of rotating livestock on separate patches of grass also known as paddocks. Gerrish coined the phrase managementintensive grazing mig, putting the emphasis on management.
Andre voisin used rational grazing in his writing in the 1950s. Many of you have implemented some form of intensive grazing managementintensive grazing mig, rotational grazing, mob grazing or. Nov 29, 2017 at green pastures farm, weve practiced managementintensive grazing also called highdensity, or mob grazing for almost a decade, as a part of our holistic grazing plan. Mig is what puts the steering wheel, clutch and brake on your selfharvesting animal combine. Management intensive grazing sustainable agriculture at uga. Written for those new to mig grazing, gerrishs insights and personal experience can help experienced graziers fine tune their grazing operations for added income. This book is well written, in an easy to understand format. Sep 27, 2015 mig is a way of understanding forage growth, relating the amount of pasture to animal requirements, allocating feed, and using sheep to manage forage efficiently and effectively.