MiG basics: Layout and Design of Grazing Cells Jim Gerrish American GrazingLands Services LLC Patterson, Idaho V.2012

Basis for pasture subdivision Management control & flexibility  Pasture rest  Quality control  Grazing efficiency  Feed budgeting  Nutrient cycle

Basis for subdivision Management control & flexibility  Pasture rest  Quality control  Grazing efficiency  Feed budgeting  Nutrient cycle The more you need to control these things….... the more subdivision you need

Considerations before you begin subdividing pastures Develop your goals Evaluate your resources Work with the terrain Consider irrigation interface Plan several options Consider costs and benefits Begin implementation

Fixed grazing cell design  Uses permanent fence and watering points Subdividing pastures

A permanent fence is 1 or 2 electrified hi- tensile wires on solid ends and corners with line posts the wildlife can’t knock the wire off. For sheep and goats use three wires !

Wood-Plastic Composite or hollow plastic line posts are first choice  Self insulating  Flexible  Stays in the ground  Light weight

Permanent stock water points Becomes the focal point of animal behavior in pasture

Laying permanent pipe

Example of a fixed system on 260 acres

Example of a fixed grazing cell design on 1400 acres

Larger grazing units have lower per acre costs for permanent fencing

Water development cost per cow for continuous and rotationally pastures

l Fixed design ç Uses permanent fence and watering points Advantages: Relatively low cost on large installations Minimal daily labor Low maintenance Disadvantages: Relatively high cost on small operations Limited management flexibility Subdividing pastures: fixed design

l Fixed design ç Uses permanent fence and watering points l Flexible design ç Uses portable fence and water facilities in a framework of permanent fence Subdividing pastures:

l Flexible design ç Uses portable fence and water facilities in a framework of permanent fence Subdividing pastures: flexible design

Over-the-surface waterline with Quick Coupler valve

Size of tank depends on # of head & recharge rate

Why smaller tanks can work with large herds Tank from previous slide 330 ft 500 pairs

Portable fence is easy work ! If you use the right tools !!

Basic tools are polybraid on geared reel and step-in posts

If we were doing it again

l Flexible design ç Uses portable fence and water facilities in a framework of permanent fence Advantages: Maximum management flexibility Lower initial capital cost Works well on rented land Disadvantages: More daily labor required More maintenance Subdividing pastures: flexible design

Making allocation easy 435 ft

Making allocation easy 435 ft Use 50 ft post spacing

Making allocation easy 435 ft Use 50 ft post spacing… then every post equals 1/2acre

Flexible grazing corridors Can work with any width corridor Just adjust post spacing between ft to get an even increment

Making it fit ½ A ’ ’ ’ Making it fit 1 A ’ ’ ’

Some grazing cell examples from around the country

The Gerrish Farm in Linn Co. MO

If we were doing it again

Circle Pi Ranch – Patterson Unit

Rotation plan for when I’m gone I’ll set up several fences for 2-day moves Paddock size based on biweekly pasture inventory Lots of flexibility!

One-time flood ground grazing during growing season

Flood irrigated meadow – 540 A

Begin strip grazing away from water point Try to keep stock from ‘back grazing’ more than 3-5 days during growing season Stock can back graze for a few weeks in the dormant season

Flood meadow used for winter swath grazing

Expected range production based on Soil Survey

2640 acre range unit Mixed native & seeded range No interior fence One water source 7.2 AUD/A Winter : 450 cows for 42 days

Grazing pattern in first year of winter grazing Poor grazing distribution Higher supplement costs More hay fed

2640 acre range unit Summer 2005 installed stock water system Drilled well & expanded spring development Still no interior fence 13.6 AUD/A Winter : 800 cows for 45 days

2640 acre range unit Summer 2006 installed subdivision fences Basically created A paddocks 29 AUD/A Winter : 900 cows for 85 days

2640 acre range unit Winter :1200 cows for 100 days May have pushed it too hard ! 45.5 AUD/A

Five years ago this ranch fed 2 ½ to 3 tons of hay/cow every winter In they fed 300 lb/cow

Simple grazier’s math 900 cows Add 40 more days of grazing Grazing saves $1/day Annual saving is $36,000  What did the fence cost ?  $33,046.81

Sieben Livestock Cascade, Montana

This is their terrain 60,000 deeded acres 90,000 public land acres How do you subdivide pastures here?

5000 acre foothill-forest pasture Cattle were concentrating along creek

Is there a place for temporary fence on rangeland ? The Lloyd Fence

5-mile polywire fence to separate upper range from lower range in 5000 acre pasture Increased grazing capacity 40%

Winter grazing unit at Sieben Livestock Five section pasture & range unit Four large pastures Limited stock water availability

Winter grazing unit at Sieben Livestock Five section pasture & range unit Took one section as trial area for winter MiG

Winter grazing unit at Sieben Livestock

“3 years of MiG did more for range health than 20 years of rest- rotation” Chase Hibbard, 2009 Sieben Livestock

Summary Similar strategies work in many different environments We just adjust the tools we use

Contact information Jim Gerrish