"Gunnink Forage Institute"  Seminar Outline

  Introduction: Institute Objectives

           Part One: The Beginning; Start With the End in Mind!

          Part Two: You Are What You Eat;   Healthy Rumen = A Healthy Animal

1.      How the Rumen Works

2.      What the Rumen Expects and Needs

3.      Filling That Need Is Our Goal

  Part Three: Quality Forage – What Is It?

1.      Type of Forage

A.    Species and Varieties

B.     NDF/ Digestible Fiber

2.      Chemistry Of Forage Production

A.    Brix, Minerals, Vitamins, Enzymes

B.     Tissue Testing / Soil Testing

C.     Foliar Feeding

3.      Biology of Forage Production

A.    Healthy “Soil Rumen”       

B.     Livestock Of the Soil “Microbial Sponge”

4.      Management of Grass Production

A.    Plant / “Soil Rumen” Relationship

B.     Management Of Grass; Planting, Growing and Harvesting

C.     Whole Farm Concept → Year Long

D.    Economics Of Grass Fed Compared To Grain Fattening

Part Four: Animal Type Makes A Difference

1.      Frame Size, Capacity, Breeds

2.      Animal and Carcass Handling

Part Five: Animal Health

 Part Six; You Can Grow Choice Grass Fed Beef!!!

1.     Quality Gras And Grass Genetics

2.      Grass Model Flexibility

  Part Seven: Agriculture Is Always Changing – Its Changing Now

1.      Economics

2.      Social