Don’t make this mistake with Nonselective grazing!

[@chersmith3181]

I really really appreciate this video. I am an "on the ground" daily livestock grazier so I like seeing actual practices by another grazier. It is YOUR videos that are actually encouraging me to get off the fence, step over and try a new management approach. Thank you Josh! Eric Smith.

[@davidhickenbottom6574]

Cold,rain your funny. Im in New England, we haven't been too cold but rain has been ridiculous for the last 7 months. That green looks good.

[@miraclefarm1927]

Since we are only in our 3rd year of grazing it may be some time before we can cull for genetics. The good thing is we know what we want and it's grazers like you that show us newbies how it's done. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@tickcreekranch]

Josh, if you don’t mind. How many units are you running and what’s the current carrying capacity of your land?

[@runningtfarmsnc]

We are currently very under stocked because of a new lease we acquired. We have successfully grazed 365 days a year stocked at 1000 lbs of live animal weight per 1.2-1.3 acres. We currently have around 200 head of cattle total but we need around 450-500 head to be stocked at the same rate as above. I believe as we continue to improve our land and genetics we can get very close to 1000 lbs of live weight per acre with no winter feeding with the exception of extreme weather events where we might need to feed a few days.

[@tickcreekranch]

@@runningtfarmsnc that is exceptional! That’s what I’m looking to do. You’re doing an exceptional job there. I’m really jumping into non-selective grazing. I’ve been unhappy with the 1/3s and 1/2s methods. Plus with those I couldn’t seem to really transform the soil or add the fertility. I don’t have 20 years to improve my land like some of the gurus suggest it’ll take. Currently only moving 3 times a day. My stock density is still too low. My biggest problem at this point is I’m severely understocked. Only 25 units on 130 acres lol. Working on it though. Great content Josh, sure appreciate it.

[@runningtfarmsnc]

@tickcreekranch My advice would be Get started on your genetics as soon as possible and maybe take Jim Elizondo’s Total Grazing Academy. Along with reading Johann Zietsman’s book Man Cattle and Veld if you haven’t already. Both are invaluable resources that can help keep you from making costly mistakes. Both are worth many times what they cost.

[@tickcreekranch]

@@runningtfarmsnc 👍

[@tickcreekranch]

@@runningtfarmsnc I thought I was working with pretty good genetics running South Polls.

[@timshirk6261]

Hey Josh, while I agree you are getting a lot out of your land and soil by grazing the way you do while building it up I do have a question if you are leaving enough surface residue and if you would benefit by adding some cheap carbon to surface right after grazing. Yes there is a lot of good manure distribution however that has lower carbon and higher nitrogen of about 15:1 My experience has been surface residue to be about 30:1 and where soil starts about 20:1 and then a few inches down about 10:1

[@runningtfarmsnc]

We leave very adequate ground cover. I don’t bother to much with the details (carbon ratios) but try to observe things that take everything into account like improvement in the diversity quality and quantity of forage we’re able to grow and that continuing increase in our carrying capacity year over year. We know that humus or slow cycling soil organic carbon is mostly (85% or so) created by microorganisms that consume root exudates and then die. Those root exudates are maximized by having a high leaf to stem ratio in the sward and that is what we are able to achieve with Nonselective grazing. I kind of look at it like if everything above ground is improving than everything below ground must be also it can’t be otherwise. So no need to worry to much about figures and numbers just observe what’s happening above ground adjust if necessary and keep grazing.

[@lindseywatkins2075]

How do you determine the type cows you keep and use? What’s the criteria you use?

[@runningtfarmsnc]

They must get bred to calve by the age of 2 years old in a 45 day breeding season and bring a calf to weaning every year after that under Nonselective grazing. In general they will be small frame and able to maintain very good body condition while be extremely fertile with exceptional heat adaptation. All of these traits though can be correlated to calving every year on time. So that’s why we mostly look at that in our cows. If cows lack even one of these traits they will eventually come up open and be culled.

[@timshirk6261]

What are the characteristics or genetics that work well or does not for non selective grazing ? Is it personality such as some animals are push overs and get pushed aside and therefore don’t get enough nutrients or is it more about genetics and how an animal finishes out depending on what they are eating ? Or maybe frame size as I have found small finishes out much better on grass vs large frames. Some finish out early while still young and others seem like they never finish out well

[@runningtfarmsnc]

High inherent body condition with the ability to maintain very good body condition with high utilization grazing. They also have to be extremely heat tolerant in our area since we have extremely hot humid summers and when grazing Nonselectively access to shade will be greatly limited or not available. In general these cattle will be much smaller frame than most modern cattle but will be very heavy for their height. The Mashona Angus cross cattle seems to be checking all the boxes for us with the added benefits of being extremely docile and having genetic parasite resistance. They also finish very well and easily on grass.

[@timshirk6261]

Thanks for reply. I started saying I want cows that are about as wide as they are tall and not a 2 story cow. Yes some cattle do well on marginal grass or hay and others struggle even if they have the very best

[@runningtfarmsnc]

@@timshirk6261 🎯

[@ryanwessel2335]

Did you find the smaller end of your old genetics could hang on during the transition? Or were none at all able to do it?

[@runningtfarmsnc]

We have a few that are still hanging on. Most are medium to small in size. Heat adaptation is their limiting factor going forward as we will be offering less and less access to shade as our Mashona cross animals hardly require any.

[@SHOE53]

Josh you type of grazing seem a little different let say Mr Judy system but it look like you got it dail in and yours cattle genetics is getting to where it fitting into you farm, as all way enjoy the video and hope you having a good day.

[@timshirk6261]

No doubt grazing or clipping newly grown grass is bad is that would deplete the energy tank in the soil. How tall do you think new growth needs to be before it starts to pump energy back into soil/root reserves and at what point of maturity does that stop again ? I know a diverse mix of many different species is best and so they would all be maturing at different times but would around boot or bud stage be about the time the plant stops channeling energy to the roots ?

[@runningtfarmsnc]

For cool season grasses I believe the roots are recharged and ready to be grazed again when the Basel leaves (the lowest leaf you can find on the plant closest to the ground starts to turn yellow due to shading the leaves would be long enough on the rest of the plant that they are bending over and touching the ground. Not sticking straight up. Probably around 12-14 inches tall.

[@timshirk6261]

I know some people that are very concerned about climate change and they have big lawns with lush green grass that they mow frequently and put down lots of synthetic nitrogen which burns out soil carbon into atmosphere. If a lot more people and Ag would treat there soil the way you do that would bring CO2 levels way down and synthesize all that carbon into the top soil which would make for health everywhere

[@runningtfarmsnc]

@@timshirk6261 🎯💯

[@timshirk6261]

I say that if climate change is real from all the C02 In atmosphere the problem is big Ag and not the burning of fossil fuels as I believe many years ago volcanoes put way more carbon in the air but back then it all ended up in topsoil which is what brought all the life on this planet today. Sadly that is all going the other way unless you can convince many others to farm your way

[@Connor6569]

Impressive grazing as always. How do you think sheep would do on your system?

[@runningtfarmsnc]

I know of several sheep producers around the world that use this method successfully. I myself have no sheep experience. Jim Elizondo @jaimeelizondorealwealthranching has a lot of sheep experience with Nonselective grazing.