The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team will offer two pasture walks as part of the Iowa Grazing Academy, a series of online sessions and in-person field days that provide practical skills and strategies for improving grazing practices for beef and dairy producers.

Shelby Gruss, extension forage specialist at Iowa State, will walk attendees through species identification, biomass estimation techniques, the value of rotational stocking for plant health and productivity and pasture problem diagnosis and renovation.

Larry Tranel, extension dairy specialist at Iowa State, will be on hand to discuss grazing dairy heifers, economics of organic dairying and low-cost parlors, which will be showcased at both sites.

Registration is not required for the dairy pasture walks, and there is no cost.

A walk is planned from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Torrey and Erin Wilson Farm, 4375 Pierce Ave., Paullina; and for 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Toby Miller Farm, 2129 110th St., Kalona.

Virtual sessions

Producers are also invited to participate in a series of virtual Iowa Grazing Academy sessions, running from July 13 to 22, from noon to 1:30 p.m. The sessions are offered at no cost, though participants must register online.

Topics are tailored to both beef and dairy producers:

July 13: Introduction — Concepts and Principles: Plant growth and regrowth, forage species comparison and building a forage mixture.

July 15: Animal Needs and Health: Animal requirements, health concerns, nitrates, prussic acid, bloat and weed toxicities.

July 16: Grazing Strategies: Rotational stocking, paddock design and measurement and fescue management.

July 20: Infrastructure, Alternatives and Budgets: Paddock layouts and water systems, alternative forages and enterprise budgets.

July 22: Productivity, Weeds and Technology: Improving forage fertility, weed control and grazing management software

For more information about the dairy pasture walks, contact Tranel at tranel@iastate.edu or 563-580-6635 or Fred Hall at fredhall@iastate.edu or 712-737-7230.

For more information about Iowa Grazing Academy or to register, contact Gruss at sgruss@iastate.edu or 515-294-3832.