Grazing Plan Resources

An effective grazing management plan is an important part of every ranch’s cost of production and ecological sustainability. The grazing season is sometimes seen as a good time for a break from the cattle herd, after calving and the winter feeding period. Increased focus on rotationally grazing cattle, and its effects on carbon storage, has sparked additional focus on increasing grazing duration and management. The additional focus on grazing management has proved to lead to additional profit, time after time. 

Sources:

Beef Cattle Research Council: Grazing Management

The Cattle Site: Three Steps to Building a Profitable Grazing System

Rotational grazing can help livestock producers by:

• preparing for drought
• building pasture resilience
• extending their grazing period
• increasing the yield of pastures
• improving the forage quality for livestock
• reducing weed pressure
• improving nutrient cycling
• helping to build soil health 

In addition to many of these important benefits for the farm operation, there are also additional positive impacts across the Canadian landscape because rotational grazing:

• promotes biodiversity
• sequesters carbon
• can improve the water cycle

The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) is passionate about promoting this practice and, in the last year, has worked with its provincial members and a variety of organizations to promote this useful practice through advocacy, education and creating funding opportunities.

Planning can be difficult. Fortunately, it is never too early or late to make a plan. The best time to plan is during the cold winter, before the spring grazing season is in full swing. The rancher must consider many factors when it comes to developing a plan. They must include profitability, lifestyle choices and biological outcomes such as soil health, forage production, ecosystem impacts and animal performance. A grazing plan can be the first step when accessing funding opportunities but, more importantly, it can promote sustainability and longevity on the land.

Source: Beef Cattle Research Council: Grazing Management

Seem like a big job? It can be, but the CFGA has a few tools to help. The CFGA offers the following options for helping develop a ranch’s grazing plan:

1. Workshops offered by mentors and partnering organizations, with support from the CFGA. Our mentors have worked in rotational grazing for many years, in some cases their whole life, or are still ranchers themselves. We are pleased to work together to develop a plan that works for the producer and navigate the application process.

2. Mentorship. If you prefer to work with a mentor one-on-one, the CFGA offers funds for the mentor services. To find a mentor contact us:

Alberta: Sonja Shank, Program Coordinator: [email protected]

British Columbia: Serena Black, BCFC General Manager: [email protected]

Quebec: Marie-Pier Beaulieau, Quebec Program Coordinator: [email protected]

Saskatchewan: Adrienne Hanson, Saskatchewan Program Coordinator: [email protected]

3. Online instruction is available on the Forage Resource. The CFGA’s Advanced Grazing Systems Program has been revamped to include a wide variety of professionals and producers to offer insight on developing a grazing plan that works for you.

4. DIY. Have your plan ready to roll?  Please download the Grazing Plan Guide for the pertinent details required by the CFGA funding program and then download and fill in the Grazing Plan Template with your details. By submitting your grazing plan, you can complete step 1 of your On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) application. Step 2 will be requesting funding using the 2024 application, when it is available.

 

1. Create an account in Bix Impact. See step-by-step instructions here: How to Sign Up for BixImpact.
2. Once you have created your account and location, upload your grazing plan and maps. Then hit ’Submit’ at the bottom of the page.

*Tip - Creating an ’Organization’ will automatically prompt updates to the program including the 2024 application when it becomes available.