For many graziers, good pasture management centers around grass farming — promoting a mix of grass species while controlling weeds. But Kathy Voth wants to challenge farmers to think of weeds differently: as a valuable source of food for cows that is abundant, nutrient-dense, resilient and economical.

Voth worked for 12 years with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, working with ranchers, university researchers and agency staff to develop solutions that help communities live sustainably in their environment. In 2004, she developed a method, based on principles of animal behavior, for teaching cows to eat weeds.

“Our thoughts about what animals eat really restricts us and them,” says Voth, who also helps publish “On Pasture,” a weekly online grazing magazine serving 100,000 readers a month. “Most people think cows eat grass, sheep eat forbs, and goats browse brush. What it comes down to is animals eat what they’ve learned to eat.”

Weeds more nutritious than grass
Voth argues that teaching cows to graze weeds simplifies management for farmers, saves money and improves a farm’s overall resilience. She also cites how perceptions of what cows naturally eat has changed over the centuries, and how the focus on grass today is likewise rooted in cultural practices.

“In the 1750s to about 1850, people thought cows ate carrots, beans, potatoes and turnips — things we’d never think of feeding them,” Voth says. “That pointed out to me that cows are flexible. It’s people who are inflexible. Plus — nobody knows this — weeds are more nutritious than grass. They are basically the equivalent of alfalfa or better.”

Voth will discuss grazing weeds and several other topics at Practical Farmers of Iowa’s 2018 annual conference Jan. 19-20 at the Iowa State Center Scheman Building on the ISU campus in Ames. The theme of the conference is “Revival.” Register at pficonference.org, or contact Erica Andorf at [email protected] or 515-232-5661. Those who preregister by Jan. 11 will save $10 per day. Special rates are available for students and PFI members.

Conference topics will include the following:

• In “Teaching Cows to Eat Weeds,” Voth will share what scientists have discovered about how animals choose food, and how graziers can train cows to eat weeds in just seven hours spread over eight days.

• In “Separating Science From Pseudoscience,” Voth and co-presenter Rachel Gilker, her partner in “On Pasture,” will discuss how farmers can make sound decisions about what to spend their time and money on, using examples of products and services being sold to farmers and ranchers.

• In “Q&A With Kathy Voth and Rachel Gilker,” farmers will have an opportunity to get their individual grazing questions answered.

Numerous sessions on livestock related topics
The conference also features a keynote address from renowned English sheep farmer James Rebanks and other livestock sessions ranging from swine genetics to beef cattle to livestock guardian dogs to livestock insurance:
• Farming the Sun: The Ecology of Chemical Energy
• Solar-Powered Livestock: From Plants to Animals
• Traditional Methods of Accessing Capital
• The Shepherd’s Life: Soil, Sheep Dogs & Social Media
• Soil Health and Grazing – Can They Coexist?
• Swine Genetics Made Easy
• Q&A: Hiring Migrant and Seasonal Workers and Year-Round Employees
• Balancing Quality of Life and Direct Marketing by Crunching Numbers
• Q&A With James Rebanks
• Expanding Operations to Add Beef Cattle
• Livestock Guard Dogs 101
• Land Access: Pitfalls and Potential
• Learning From On-Farm Research: Livestock
• Livestock Insurance: Identifying Risks and Risk Management Tools

Keynote address: Vision to Revive Rural America
James Rebanks, author of The New York Times bestselling memoir “The Shepherd’s Life,” will deliver the keynote address this year. James raises native Herdwick and Swaledale sheep, and a British cattle breed called Blue Greys, in the mountains of northern England.

In his address — “An English Shepherd’s Vision to Revive Rural America” — Rebanks will share what it’s like to farm using old ways in the modern world, both the challenges and opportunities. He’ll discuss how traditional ways provide many of the answers we need for a farming future in which the efficacy of antibiotics, wormers, pesticides, herbicides and oil may all be reduced or in scarce supply.

Soil Health short course to be held
Attendees at this year’s PFI conference who want to gain an in-depth understanding of soil health and the role played by soil microbes and farm management practices can sign up for a pre-conference short course — “Soils: Cultivating a Deeper Understanding” —  from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18 and from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 19 at the Scheman Building.

The course is divided into four sections that move from the basics into more advanced topics. Sections will explore the soils of Iowa; the role and influence of soil microbes; the impact of cropping systems and strategies for building soil health; and biological soil-quality testing methods. All participants will receive a workbook to follow the presentations and take notes. Certified crop advisers can earn 7.5 CEU credits by attending this course (CEU credits are available at 10 other conference sessions).

Iowa Forage and Grassland Council
The annual meeting of the Iowa Forage and Grassland Council will be held in conjunction with the PFI Conference. For a full schedule and to register, visit iowaforage.org or call 800-383-1682. The IFGC meeting will be Jan. 18 beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m. in the ISU Alumni Center at Ames.

At the IFGC meeting, Kathy Voth and Rachel Gilker from “On Pasture” will give a presentation. They will discuss the facts and myths of grazing research and the long-term benefits of a well-managed grazing system. Also, Doug Peterson, regional soil health specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, will discuss grazing and soil health. And John Grabber, research agronomist from USDA’s Ag Research Service, will speak on interseeding alfalfa into corn.

PFI’s 2018 annual conference is supported by several major sponsors, including Albert Lea Seed, Applegate Natural & Organic Meats, Clif Bar & Co., Grain Millers, ISU Department of Agronomy and Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture, Niman Ranch, Premier 1 Supplies and NRCS. To learn more, visit practicalfarmers.org.

Source: PFI