GRASS AND CATTLEat West Wind Farm, Greenbrier County, WV

by Martha Holdridge

Feedlot - Oklahoma Typical source of commercial supermarket beef

Standing in excrement + no grass + unnatural major feed source (grain) = need for antibiotics, hormones to prevent

illness and promote rapid growth

Management-Intensive Grazing (MIG)

• Paddock fence - polywire electric

• Water trough with float valve

• Daily moves to fresh paddock

• Paddock rest of 14 to 28 days

• Kelp/salt mix

Rotational Grazing

• Efficient and effective– Cattle - 100% forage diet

• healthy meat/milk

– Ongoing pasture fertilization• dung + carbon cycle + nitrogen cycle

– Pasture rest - then vigorous re-growth

– Protects best grasses• Steers are moved before eating grasses too short

• At WWF, daily moves to fresh pasture– Steers are happy to move

Soil Tests Show Startling Benefit

• ORGANIC MATTER– tested by WVU soil testing service

• 2004 4.1% 2007 8.3%

• Asked WVU Prof.: Why so great a change!!

• Answer: “You’ve been sequestering carbon!” 4 tons SOC / acre in 5 years = 15 tons CO2

• Why? How? Organic pasture management combined with daily rotational grazing.

How Does Cattle Eating Grass Lead to Carbon Sequestration?

• Grass leaves and roots are a product of photosynthesis (sun+CO2+green plant+water).

• When cattle eat grass leaves, the roots partially die back, leaving organic matter in the soil.

• That organic matter is 57% carbon (C).- It is called soil organic carbon (SOC).

• Result: C of CO2 in air is drawn into the soil– Yield: more soil, better soil = SOIL REGENERATION

• Rotational grazing pulsing of grass/root growth pulsing of carbon sequestration

Organic vs Chemical Management

Organic soils enhance soil life, grass root structure, and mineral nutrient uptake. Managed grazing causes root dieback that increases SOC. Chemical Organic

http://www.wtamu.edu/~crobinson/SoilFert/section2/AR2007091900472.html

Clover Draws Nitrogen from the Air

Clover root nodules hold nitrogen in soil for gradual use by both clover and grass

Fossil Fuel to Raise a Steer = 5 barrels/283

gal.

Gas/diesel/oil: for plowing, planting, cultivating, harvesting, drying corn/soy beans, transport of animals & grain to feedlots. Natural gas: used to produce chemical fertilizers, pesticides.

Credit: National Geographic, June 2004

Fossil Fuel to Raise a Steer on Pasture: Less than 20 gal. (examples)

Estimates by 2 NE Pasture Consortium members: 17, 15 gal.• No fuel for grain production, chemical fertilizers, or pesticides• Minimal fossil fuel for spreading lime, making hay, transport.

.

WEST WIND FARM Management Intensive Grazing

Useful Links

• Eat Wild by Jo Robinson– www.eatwild.com

• Rodale Institute– www.rodaleinstitute.org

• Amazing Grazing Directory– www.futureharvestcasa.org/publications

• West Wind Farm– www.westwindfarm.biz/

– martha@westwindfarm.biz; Tel: 301-229-2813