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406 Grazing Academy
June 7, 2022 - June 9, 2022
Registration Open for 406 Grazing Academy
Learn More: 2022 406 Grazing Academy
Ranchers wanting to hone their grazing management skills are encouraged to register for this year’s 406 Grazing Academy. The 3-day, hands-on workshop is offered by the Rangeland Resources Program in the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Montana State University (MSU) Extension Range Management, and MSU’s Dan Scott Ranch Management Program. Additional partners include the Montana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and Winnett ACES.
Participants will gain practical information to help them make strategic decisions for their ranch. Topics include economic optimum stocking rates, diverse grazing strategies, range monitoring, extending the grazing season, livestock-wildlife relations, targeted grazing, and coping with drought, wildfire and poisonous plants. Successful Montana ranchers and other range managers from across the state will share their expertise and complement presentations by the educators.
The workshop will be held June 7-9, 2022. Classroom activities will occur in Lewistown, MT at the Yogo Inn with field activities held on working ranches near Winnett, MT.
Registration is $150/person or $250 for two people from the same ranch. Registration covers educational materials, noon and evening meals. Participants are responsible for travel and lodging expenses.
Registration closes May 16 and space is limited. Early registration is encouraged. To register, contact Teresa at Judithbasincd@macdnet.org or call 406-599-2311 ext. 107. To learn more, contact Stacey Barta at 406-594-8481 (sbarta@mt.gov), Jeff Mosley at 406-994-5601 (jmosley@montana.edu), or Rachel Frost at 406-994-3724 (frost@montana.edu).
Agenda is still being finalized, topics include, but not limited to the following:
Day 1
- Healthy Plants, Healthy Soils (plant growth and development, mineral cycle, energy flow, water cycle, soil health)
- Balancing Forage Supply with Livestock Demand
- Stocking Rate and Stock Density (including economic optimum stocking rate)
- Grazing Concepts (timing, intensity, frequency, selectivity)
Day 2
Field day
- Reading the Range: Identification of Indicator Plant Species (small groups)
- Reading the Range: Range Health Checklist (including hands-on practice
- Utilization Monitoring (including hands-on practice)
- Photo Monitoring for Range Trend
Day 3
- Gathering Time
- Review and Looking Forward
- Rangeland Analysis Platform and Other Technology Tools Grazing Decisions for Drought and Wildfire
- Coping with Poisonous Plants
- Riparian Area Grazing
- Targeted Livestock Grazing for Weed Control
- LUNCH
- Can Livestock and Wildlife Coexist?
Evenings of day 1 and 2, we will have our campfire discussions where Montana ranchers will describe their operations followed by open discussion with workshop participants
