By MEGGIE I. FOSTER
Assistant Editor

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Hoosier producers interested in keeping up on trends in grazing livestock and forage systems can attend the Heart of America Grazing Conference in Columbus, Ind. Jan. 21-22.

“We are covering all aspects of intensive rotational grazing and forage systems, so there’s really something for everyone here,” said Brad Shelton, Washington County Purdue Extension educator and president of the Indiana Forage Council, a co-sponsor of the event. “And what better time than the start of the new year to get pumped up for a new season with a wealth of new information.”
Each year, the Heart of America Grazing Conference is hosted by a different state in the Midwest, and the event rotates between Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. This is the eighth annual conference and the second event hosted in Indiana, according to Shelton.

“We hope to create an awareness of some of the niche markets that exist such as raising pastured pork, pastured poultry, replacement dairy heifers or grazing stocker calves,” said Shelton. “If you’re selling commodity beef at an auction barn, you have to take what they are willing to pay, but you can help determine your own bottom line with value-added products.

“If you can become more efficient and utilize your pasture and land, reduce costs on feed and fertilizer, you are likely to be more profitable in these uncertain times.”

The two-day event will cover a variety of topics including forage growth, development of ultra-high stock density grazing, management-intensive grazing, improving the existing management-intensive grazing system.

The conference will take place at the Holiday Inn in Columbus, begin with registration and a trade show from 4-6:30 p.m. on Jan. 21, followed by a brief welcome and dinner.

“We are excited to have Joel Salatin, owner of Polyface, Inc. out of Swoope, Va. as a featured speaker,” Shelton said. “Salatin will discuss his operation, which includes the raising and marketing of salad bar beef, pigaerator pork, pastured poultry, forage-based rabbits and forestry products.”

Other topics and speakers include a patriotic tribute from Garry Lacefield, a forage specialist from the University of Kentucky; understanding forage growth and development of grasses and legumes from Lacefield and Ray Smith, of the University of Kentucky; ultra-high stock density grazing from Salatin; getting started in management of grazing, from Robert Zupancic and Susannah Hinds, Natural Resources Conversation Service specialists; keeping management-intensive grazing going, from Charlie Carter, dairy farmer and owner of Carterly Family Farms in Thorntown, Ind.; marketing your farm-raised products, Salatin; using sheep and goats in a grazing environment, Lori Synder and Mike Neary, Purdue Extension specialists; economic flexibility in grazing stockers and replacement dairy heifers, Dave Nuhring, Grazing Systems Supply; and alternative forages in our grazing operations, Keith Johnson, forage management specialist and Brett Glick, from Columbus and Roger Robinson, from Orleans.
Cost to register is $75 for the full conference and $50 for one day. Checks should be made payable to the Indiana Forage Council and mailed to Keith Johnson, 915 West State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907. More details and a registration brochure can be found by visiting http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forages