Grazing Lands Focus of Upcoming National Conference

Figure 2 - Average nutrient content of wet brewers’ grains submitted to the Dairy One Laboratory and taken from the dairy one feed composition library.

rumen undegradable protein or protein that is untouched by the rumen microbes and passes on through the rumen and can be used directly by the animal in the small intestine. Much of the current research has suggested that growing cattle can be supplemented up to 0.7 percent of body weight of WBG, and late gestation cows have had no problems when fed up to 0.5 percent of body weight. There is some research suggesting that the inclusion threshold may be around 30-40 percent of total dry matter intake, with which rumen fill at this point may become an issue with the volume of water intake.

Challenges with the moisture content of WBG extend beyond that of just questioning how much water a cow can consume. There are also challenges in regard to transportation and storage. Although WBG is typically free or appears on the surface to be much cheaper by the

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ton than other commodity feeds, one must keep in mind the moisture content of WBG. It is not cost effective to haul water, and the heavy weight added by the moisture of the feedstuff can cause wear and tear on equipment. Additionally, hauling WBG may also require special trailers to prevent seepage, which is negatively viewed by the public. So when trying to figure out whether or not WBG is a good deal in comparison to other feedstuffs, make sure to account for the moisture content and associated trucking costs of hauling water.

Additionally, this moisture content can limit the storage length of the feedstuff. In high humidity and temperature climates, WBG storage can be limited to 2-3 days before mycotoxins and molds can start to cause problems. In the winter months, storage length can be extended, but in the spring and summer months, spoilage has been shown to occur in as little as 12 hours after receiving a load of WBG. Therefore, the options for storage are to either not store it at all and feed it quickly after a load is delivered or have a method to store it where oxygen cannot access the feed, such as in an ag bag. If working directly with a brewery to pick up loads of WBG, keep in mind that a constant supply of WBG is being generated, and pickup and thus feeding of WBG may have to occur daily. Nonetheless, many producers in North Carolina have been very successful at having a concurrent stream of WBG being both fed and supplied to the farm.

The booming beer industry in North Carolina has created a steady supply of WBG available for upcycling by the beef industry. Although WBG is dense in nutrient content, challenges with transportation, storage, and feeding due to moisture content may prevent many producers from utilizing this byproduct feed resource.

Grazing Lands Focus of Upcoming National Conference

The 8th National Conference on Grazing Lands, hosted by the National Grazing Lands Coalition (NatGLC), will take place December 6-9 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. To register for the conference, visit cvent.me/4BMkbg.

Featured speakers at the conference include: • Representative Glenn Thompson (invited) of Pennsylvania, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee • Meredith Ellis of G Bar C Ranch in Rosston, Texas

The second day will begin with a panel discussion on mental health in agriculture. Three agricultural producers will explain how to recognize the signs of distress and how to get help. Panelists are Ryan Sexton, a rancher from Nenzel, Neb.; Jessica Peters, a dairy farmer from Meadville, Penn.; and Terri Hawbaker, a dairy farmer from Pewamo, Michigan.

Participants can also choose from more than 60 concurrent sessions that cover a wide range of grazing lands issues.

On December 9, participants have training and tour options available: • Regenerative Grazing: A Deep Dive presented by Dr. Allen Williams, a farmer from Winston-Salem, N.C., and founding partner of Grass Fed Insights, LLC. • Grazing 101, Record Keeping, and Soil Testing Training will occur at the Thompson farm in Conway, South Carolina • Agrotourism presentation at the Thompson Farm and a beef cattle operation tour. • Social Media Training • Hopsewee Plantation in Georgetown, South Carolina.

NatGLC is also making two scholarships available, the Lynn Myers and Hezekiah Gibson Memorial Scholarships. Each scholarship will provide $500 to cover conference attendance costs. The scholarships are supported by proceeds from the silent auction. If interested in donating items for the auction, contact Kim Stine at kim@grazinglands.org.

In addition, there are two other scholarships available. One is the NCBA Rancher Resilience Grant provided by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association to support cattle producer attendance at impactful educational events. The other is a $500 South Carolina Forage and Grazing Lands scholarship for South Carolina producers interested in attending the conference.

The National Grazing Lands Coalition was founded in 1991 to ensure high quality technical assistance is available to private grazing land managers on a voluntary basis and to increase the awareness of the importance of grazing land resources. The work is carried out through coalitions of individuals and organizations functioning at the local, state, regional, and national levels. Coalitions include livestock producer organizations, scientific and professional grazing resource organizations, conservation and environmental groups, state and federal natural resource agencies, and other agricultural interests.

More information can be found at www.grazingland.org/grazing-conference.