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Cattle Call
By Chad Petri Reporter
Published: Tue, May 13, 2008 - 5:03 am
Last Updated: Tue, May 13, 2008 - 5:43 am
Last Updated: Tue, May 13, 2008 - 5:43 am
Chad Petri
“China is taking most of our minerals today, which is really making the price a lot higher to us,” says owner/operator Mike Johnson.
He’s looking at different ways to save. Cows used to have free run of the farm and could graze where ever they wanted. Today, this field is barren, in two weeks it'll be ready to eat again. This is part of "controlled grazing, which is normally only done during winter. Fences cut this farm into eight separate grazing areas. Mike Johnson's not really trying to save on grass as much as he's trying to cut fertilizer costs in half.
“We're planting summer pasture in 20 and 30 acre lots trying to just fertilize and keep that stuff up,” says Johnson.
Diesel fuel keeps tools on the farm running filling up large farm equipment can run up a 2000 dollar tab.
“So instead of running a season on that type of gas we're having to run about 30 days,” says Johnson.
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I am wondering what types of grasses Mr. Johnson is currently planting. While I am not an expert in cattle fodder or the costs in running a cattle farm, would changing to a grass type that requires less maintenence be a viable solution? I recently left Idaho where the soil is almost devoid of all minerals and microbes, which is why most of the cattle farmers grow alfalfa. I have also read that chickory is a very good livestock fodder and more hardy than most grass types. Perhaps it would be worth the costs involved to switch feed crops if it can still provide the nutritional needs of his cattle.