Forage Management Plan

This Forage Management Plan defines how you would implement a plan for growing different forages in a way best suited to your operation.

Our Forage Ranch Management Plans includes details on the following:

Inventory--This may be a brief summarized inventory or a detailed inventory, as found on the "Ranch Inventory" link on the "Services" page.
Forage Planted--Descriptions of the different Forages planted will include the name of the grass, the season (warm season or cool season), whether it is annual of perennial, plant characteristics, which types of soils the plant prefers, and when it is planted.
Planting Schedules--When and where each grass will be planted and establishment years.
Production and Utilization--How much forage each plant will yield each season and how much f that production will be taken from the ground by livestock or machinery.
Soils--Types and characteristics
Soil Test Results--Amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium in the soil as well as soil pH.
Fertilizer and Lime--By Pasture: needs, total pounds of Nitrogen, total cost per year, cost per ton, cost per acre, and cost per pound.
Planting Costs--Fertilizer, seed, drill, chisel, offset, land, and labor costs
Rotations--Both for Livestock and Forages
Livestock--Included will be a description of specie, breed, breeding seasons, weaning/culling dates, and number based on available forage. Number is subject to change as forage becomes more established.
Health--A treatment and/or prevention program can be designed for your operational needs. This will include types of vaccinations, when to give them, and how to give them.
Nutrition--Based on the amount of forage and its nutritive value, supplemental feed might be needed, as well as salt and mineral. We will help determine which feed best fits your program for the best price.
Marketing--A complete strategy on where and how to sell your product based on your type of operation and your desires.
Personnel--You might need more help at one time in the year than you do in another. This section helps to prioritize and schedule the times when help is needed and the job descriptions of that help, whether it be full-time, part-time, seasonal, or day-help.
Records--Everything needs to be recorded, from financial and mechanical records to livestock and forage records.
Calendar of Operations--The calendar of operations will include a detailed schedule of when everything will need to be done. For example, it will include breeding season, calving season, branding, vaccinating, culling, weaning, rotations, palpation, marketing, shipping, etc.
Budgets--We will provide detailed budgets on these categories so that you will know your total feed cost, labor expense, pasture expense, medical expense, mineral expense, forage expense, etc. Your Management Plan will also include a total cow cost, pounds of beef produced per acre, and a break even price for both livestock and forage.
Finances--For example: credit lines, cash flow, resources, returns, loan payment schedule, and pounds of beef per acre.