COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new video series from Ohio State University educators offers livestock producers detailed information about a wide variety of grazing management techniques. The videos target experienced and new producers alike.

The videos, which were produced this spring by OSU extension livestock and forage experts, were done as part of extension’s “Pastures for Profit” grazing school. The videos intend an in-depth look at ways livestock producers can improve management of pastures.

“We’ve been offering these classes since 1994, but this is the first time we’ve recorded them and are offering access to the videos free online,” said Jeff McCutcheon, an extension educator who helped spearhead this effort. “Producers can always improve the efficiencies of their land resources and forages.”

The videos include instruction on some of the basic considerations of grazing systems, from fence and water setup and how it impacts plant growth, to pasture layout and design, to forage species selection and alternatives.

“The participants in the grazing schools have always been a mix of new and old producers,” McCutcheon said. “Farmers are always looking for a better way to do things. Sometimes situations change and they need to consider doing things differently.

“In addition, we have also had participants come to the grazing schools multiple times. They went home, applied some of the practices and are looking for a refresher. The videos could be a big help with that audience.”

There are eight videos in all, recorded in April during a grazing school. “Produced by the OSU extension Forage Team, the curriculum setup allows people to mix and match different parts of the videos for their own need,” McCutcheon said.

He is credited with the idea of putting grazing techniques on video. “The drive to produce the videos came from the question, ‘Could we use technology to help do our job since there are fewer of us?’” McCutcheon explained.

“We’ve been holding local grazing schools since 1994. We prefer to teach in those small group settings. Reality is, there are fewer team members now to teach at the schools due to budget cuts. The request for schools has not lessened. And these grazing schools draw both new and existing producers.”

The videos were produced at the Franklin County farm of Val Jorgensen. Jorgensen is director for the Ohio Forage & Grasslands Council. There are 140 users of the videos to date and McCutcheon isn’t certain what type of producers are making use of them.

“We can’t answer that question at this time,” he added. “This is our initial attempt. The videos were posted in May.”

Pastures for Profit is a comprehensive management, intensive grazing school offered annually throughout Ohio by the Forage Team. It consists of members from extension, the OSU Department of Horticulture and Crop Sciences and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

“Sometimes people like to refresh their knowledge and pick up new things,” McCutcheon said. “The goals are to teach grazing management and have farmers apply the principles to their operations.

“The management of grazing animals is not something that has one answer,” he said. “There are many parts that need to be adapted to the individual farm situation. By providing the recordings of the teaching sessions, we hope to provide easy access to the information so producers can apply it.

The eight 30- to 45-minute presentations can be viewed online at http:/fair field.osu.edu/topics/agriculture-and- natural-resources/news/find-recent- grazing-school-presentations-on-line- here