Gordon Nickel had good reason to think about changing his pasture management a few years ago.
When looking at his neighbor’s pasture, he saw that the grass was greener on the other side of the fence.
Nickel, who farms with his father, an uncle and a cousin near Solsgirth, Man., discovered his neighbor was using twice-over grazing, a system that improves a pasture’s carrying capacity by moving cattle between paddocks.
The Nickel family decided to try twice-over grazing on their farm. They went a step further by running fences to separate most of their pasture from an adjacent river.
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The Nickels soon saw the results: better herd health, cows that produce more milk, improved weight gains on their calves and cattle coming off pasture in better condition in the fall.
“When you’re managing your grass, you’re managing your cattle,” said Gordon’s uncle, Jim Nickel. “The two go hand in hand.”
The Nickels changed their pasture management to improve their bottom line, but there were also benefits to the environment. By separating riparian areas from their pasture, they helped prevent river bank erosion. Wildlife habitat also improved.
The results they saw are not unique.
A recent survey of 346 producers across the Prairies found the majority believe there are benefits to rotational grazing and managing riparian areas such as stream banks and the edges of wetland.
Increased production, net income and herd health were cited as some of the main benefits by survey respondents.
The survey shows livestock producers can benefit by switching from continuous grazing to rotational grazing and by changing how they manage water areas. By doing things that improve water quality and wildlife habitat, producers do not necessarily have to sacrifice income.
“Producers want to do the right thing,” said Peggy Strankman, manager of environmental affairs for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “At the same time, they’re running a business. They have to feed their families.
“This study shows they can do both.”
The study was done by Brenda Chorney, a University of Manitoba researcher in the department of agricultural economics and farm management, and by co-researcher Rae Josephson. The research was supported and directed by a steering committee representing several agricultural and conservation groups.
According to the final report released in March, 80 percent of survey respondents saw increased average weight gains after switching from continuous grazing to a rotational system.
More than 90 percent reported an increase in pasture forage quality, while 88 percent witnessed improved quality. Producers who also controlled access to water sources reported equally positive results.
“The study shows that producers who have gone down this road are, in large measure, pleased with the results,” said Tim Sopuck, co-ordinator for the Grazing Study Steering Committee and manager of operations for the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.
“A large number reported benefits that directly related to their bottom line.”
The survey respondents tended to be experienced cow-calf producers who rely heavily on livestock for their farm income. Their operations vary from less than 500 acres of pasture to well over 1,000 acres.
The survey also found that lack of time and capital were the greatest barriers for producers wanting to adopt managed grazing. They reported capital costs that ranged from less than $7 per acre to more than $30 an acre.
That finding underlines the need for programs that can help offset the cost of adopting rotational grazing and improvements to how water areas are managed.
The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation, through its Greenbanks program, is among those providing that kind of support.
“Sometimes a little bit of assistance is all that’s needed to tip the balance for someone to make a major change in their operation,” said Sopuck.
“There is clearly a benefit to everyone in society when producers make these kinds of changes.”
Further details of the study can be found at the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration and Canadian Cattlemen’s Association websites: www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/pub/surpast.pdf and www.cattle.ca.
