Did you miss the 2017 NGLC Summer Grazing Tour? If so, check out what you missed below!
Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and Nebraska Extension
2017 Summer Grazing Tour Well Received
On June 13, 2017, the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition (NGLC), Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Environmental Trust hosted the 2017 Summer Grazing Tour in southcentral Nebraska near the communities of Reynolds, Belvidere and Bruning. The event brought approximately 160 grazers, ranchers and government agency personnel together to learn more about successful grazing practices in an area predominated by row crop production. Attendees witnessed that proper grazing of native range, cool season grasses and cover crops provides increased income for farm and ranch businesses, wildlife and bird habitat, vegetation diversity, increased water quality and quantity and improved soil health over time.
The morning kicked off with registration and continental breakfast compliments of Fairbury Livestock, Fairbury, NE, owned and managed by Larry and Deborah Junker and the Bruning Family Farms, owned by the Frank Bruning Family, Bruning, NE.
Tour stops included:
Stop I — Reynolds, NE - Bruning Cow Camp
· Started in the 1950's with the first purchase
· Currently 2100 acres of native grass pastures with 60 acres of prairie hay grown.
· Cross fenced with 50 paddocks- none larger than 80 acres. All served by well water and tanks with 5 wire barb wire fences and corral systems.
· Rotationally grazed from May 1-November 1 using approximately 6-7 aces per Spring cow/calf unit.
· Reseeded farming area to Big and Little Bluestem, Side Oats Gramma, Indian Grass and Switch Grass. One area reseed with Intermediate Wheat Grass.
Stop 2 — Belvidere, NE -Lange Land & Cattle, LLC Angus
· Larry and Rosalie Lange purchased 320 acres in 1970.
· In 2004, John Lange installed NRCS EQUIP water tanks and cross fencing.
· In 2016, two small pivots were reseeded to grass and more cross fencing is planned to utilize the irrigated grass with the native pasture.
· Over the last 13 years, shifting from season long grazing to rotational grazing has shifted the plant species composition from lowly productive cool season grasses to predominately warm season grasses permitting an increase in carrying capacity.
Stop 3 — Bruning, NE - Bruning Farms LLC
· Currently 300 acres of irrigated cool season grasses with approximately 20 paddocks- mostly 10-20 acres. Approximately 1-2 acres per pair, mostly Fall calving cows.
· Pastures served by well water and tanks and crossed fence with 3 wire electric high tensile or 14 gauge barb wire with spring loaded post for pivot crossings.
· Grazed April 15-December 31 and used to wean calves in the Fall.
· Cool season grasses are Orchard, Meadow Brome, Intermediate Wheat Grass, Perennial Rye Grasses, Festulolium and Creeping Foxtail.
· After Silage cutting — cover crops of Oats, Rye, Collards, Barley are planted for Fall grazing along with cornstalks.
The day concluded with an evening steak fry compliments of Bruning Family Farms and NGLC. The evening program featured a celebration of Frank and Mary Bruning’s contributions to Nebraska’s grazing community over the years. Frank and Mary were early adopters of effective grazing management principles, regular attendees and contributors to the UNL Nebraska Grazing Conference and reseeded over 1,000 acres of row crops back to native and cool season grasses through the years. NGLC recognized Frank and Mary for these contributions by honoring them with the first annual NGLC Lifetime Achievement Award.
Other event sponsors included the Blunk Feed Service, Settje Agri-Service and Engineering, Flat River Buildings, Purina, Bruning State Bank and Bruning Feedlot Fencing.
For additional information contact:
Ron Bolze, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition 402 321 0067 ron@nebraskagrazinglands.org
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Frank L. Bruning Honored with the First Annual Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition Lifetime Achievement Award
On June 13, 2017, the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition (NGLC), Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Environmental Trust hosted the 2017 Summer Grazing Tour in southcentral Nebraska near the communities of Reynolds, Belvidere and Bruning. The event brought approximately 160 grazers, ranchers and government agency personnel together to learn more about successful grazing practices in an area predominated by row crop production. Attendees witnessed that proper grazing of native range, cool season grasses and cover crops provides increased income for farm and ranch businesses, wildlife and bird habitat, vegetation diversity, increased water quality and quantity and improved soil health over time. The evening program featured a celebration of Frank and Mary Bruning’s contributions to Nebraska’s grazing community over the years.
Four Bruning brothers came to Nebraska in 1887 – settling on a section of land east of the Burlington railroad, not yet incorporated as a town. The youngest, Frank (Diederich) purchased 320 acres which started Bruning Farms. His entrepreneurial spirit established a livestock business and fostered a love for race horses. His son, Fred H. Bruning, would focus the business on cattle, adding a feedlot in the 1930s and more grazing lands while others continued to plow the Nebraska Plains into farmland. Instilling the passion for range management and cattle production into his son, Frank L Bruning continued to develop grazing lands in the 1950s.
Frank and Mary employed enterprising fencing systems, reseeded farmlands into native grasses and implemented persistent conservation efforts as they paved the way for son, Fred D. Bruning and now grandson, Reis and families, all three generations working side by side. Today, Bruning Farms encompasses 3,500 acres of grazing lands providing a platform for a commercial and seedstock Angus herd.
Frank and Mary were early adopters of effective grazing management principles, regular attendees and contributors to the UNL Nebraska Grazing Conference and reseeded over 1,000 acres of row crops back to native and cool season grasses through the years. Frank credits most of his success through the years to “marrying the right person” as evidenced by a recent 68th wedding anniversary. NGLC recognized Frank and Mary for these achievements and contributions to Nebraska’s grazing community by honoring them with the first annual NGLC Lifetime Achievement Award.
Looking for some Grazing and Forage Managment Research? Check out our Resources link!
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Did you miss the NGLC Traveling Road Show? Check out the link below for a full recording of Allen Williams Presentation!
https://app.box.com/s/9no98kjdjrqu3krao8u4fgqqx9tglfgh
Allen Williams
President and Chief Ranching Officer
P.O. Box 1173
Fulshear, TX 77441
662.312.6826
allen.williams@standardsoil.com
www.standardsoil.com
The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and Nebraska Extension Present:
Dirt Rich or Dirt Poor: Principles of Soil Health,
Adaptive Grazing and Cover Crop Livestock Integration
Featuring Allen Williams
Allen Williams is founding partner and President of GFI, LLC, an Agriculture & Food Industry consulting firm specializing in enhanced farm and food company sustainability and profitability, livestock genetics and management, soil health initiatives and research, and whole farm planning. He is also founding partner of Grass Fed Beef, LLC. Allen is a sixth generation family farmer and holds BS, MS degrees in Animal Science from Clemson University and a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University. He spent 15 years in academia in research, teaching, and extension, and has written more than 300 peer reviewed and popular press articles. He has worked with more than 4,000 farmers and ranchers in the US, Canada, Mexico, and South America. GFI, LLC also consults with branded food programs, processors, distributors, retailers, and food service. Allen has authored numerous feasibility studies, business plans, and cash flow projections for farms/ranches and the natural and organic food sectors. He has written standards and protocols for a number of branded food programs. Allen has served on several boards and national committees, including the National Integrated Resources Management (IRM) committee. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Grass Fed Exchange and the Mississippi Sustainable Agriculture Network, Core Team Member of the Pasture Project, Facilitator in the USDA Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program, Co-Principle Investigator for Team SoilCarbon, and Principal in the Farm Food Collaborative. Allen has been an invited speaker at over 400 regional, national, and international conferences and symposia.