(June 2013) CCE of Jefferson and Lewis County Pasture Walk series continues in 2013 with two farm stops on Wednesday June 26. Joseph Orefice, owner/operator, North Branch Farm in Saranac will join us at the afternoon location.
From our pasture walks and meeting many of you have expressed interest in silvopasturing and why not? Silvopasturing is well-suited for our NNY landscape and livestock. With the challenge to grow more food without more land and to compete we need to use all the resources available and pasturing is one of our biggest advantages. Grazers can increase grass acreage without purchasing or renting by putting non-productive land into production. *Research in other parts of the country has shown that cattle which have access to shade during times of summer heat have less stress and higher productivity than cattle in the open.
Shade and Milk Production
When temperatures exceed 90°F, milk production can decrease by 20 to 30% (10-25 lbs. of milk per day) (Virginia Tech. University).
Shade and Weight Gain
Cattle with shade had an ADG that was 20% more than cattle without shade (University of Arkansas).
Shade and Reproduction
Shade increased overall pregnancy rates of cattle by nearly 40% (87.5% with shade/50% without shade) (University of Missouri).
First stopover
10:00am – 12:00pm Mazy Acres / Jim Young. Miller Road, Antwerp
Organic Dairy; Reg. Holsteins; new bedded pack barn with flat parlor
Bedded pack barns are becoming increasingly popular in NNY. Jim will tell us how he transitioned his cows from a traditional tie stall barn to bedded pack barn and how that fits in with his pastures and registered Holsteins his family exhibits at local county fairs.
Second Stopover
1:00pm – 3:00PM Beartown Farms / Gene LaMothe, Antwerp; Meet at 36799 Pulpit Rock Road (look for signs).
Gene grazes sheep and beef and is considering methods to incorporate land overgrown with shrubs and woods into suitable pasture.
Joe Orefice will walk us through a former dairy farm turned woodland that was last pastured 50 years ago. Mr. Orefice is an Assistant Professor, Paul Smith’s College, and NRESS Student – University of New Hampshire. His North Branch Farm is also the site of Joe’s research on silvopasture systems for the Northeastern United States, funded by NE SARE. North Branch Farm is a small, diversified farm with pastured beef, poultry, and pork.
Learn more about silvopasturing by visiting www.silvopasture.ning.com in part by the Northeast SARE program:
Date: Wednesday June 26
10:00am – 12:00pm Mazy Acres / Jim Young. Miller Road, Antwerp
12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch on your own. We’ll bring the water and snacks
1:00pm – 3:00PM Beartown Farms / Gene LaMothe, Antwerp; Meet at 36799 Pulpit Rock Road (look for signs).
Cost: $10 per farm or family.
Contact Ron Kuck, CCE of Jefferson County for more information and registrations: 788-8450 or rak76@cornell.edu.
Future pasture walks are tentatively scheduled for the 4th Wednesday of every month through September.
Learn more about livestock production and handling on the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Northern New York website at www.ccenny.com in part by the Northeast SARE program: