Silvopasture is a practice that integrates livestock, forage production and forestry on the same land management unit. It has the potential to be a great fit for producers looking to up their grazing game and add a revenue stream.

Determining how much pasture is needed for summer grazing can be difficult. There are many factors that affect pasture productivity including last growing season’s conditions.

TRAFALGAR, Ind. - Six years ago, Thomas Burgett, a third generation farmer and a sergeant with the Indiana State Police, noticed that the 100-year-old family farm was struggling financially and experiencing significant soil erosion and fertility issues. This directly affected the rate of gain within the cattle herd, so a family decision was made to switch to rotational grazing in an effort to practice more regenerative agricultural methods. The results have boosted the productivity and sustainability of the land and the animals while providing a new path forward for the Burgett Farm. 

The real goal of every livestock producer is to maximize the amount of energy captured by the sun in the range or pasture allotted to them.

Grazing cattle have the unique ability to upcycle, or convert, low-quality forages into high-quality, nutrient-dense protein.