08/28/06 Grazing academy signup

One way to increase forage and livestock production while cutting costs is to let livestock harvest more of their own feed from irrigated pastures. The University of Idaho extension is offering a four day workshop on management of irrigated pastures September 11th through the 14th. The Lost Rivers Grazing Academy offers plenty of practice along with management principles. Participants learn how to design and manage grazing cells, water systems and electric fencing. Extension educator Jim Hawkins of Challis is one of the instructors. Hawkins says if producers are running out of grass or if they're overrun with weeds they need to attend the workshop. HAWKINS "If they adopt even one of the practices that we talk about we can increase their grass by 50 percent. Most of them are getting the utilization somewhere around 30 percent on a season long use. We ought to be able to bump that up to 50, 60 percent utilization with just a minimum of management." The workshop is held at the Nancy Cummings Research Center north of Salmon. There is a $450-per-person registration fee that includes the breakfasts, meals and all materials. Farmers and ranchers who register as part of a management team pay $450 for the first team member and $225 for each additional member. The pre-registration deadline is Sept. 5. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott