Purdue News

March 12, 1999 Forage conference to emphasize rotational stocking WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Forage-livestock producers who want to know how to take the green out of forages and put it into their pocket will want to attend a forage conference at the Johnson County 4-H Fairgrounds on Thursday, March 25. Conference hosts are the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and the Indiana Forage Council Inc. The morning program will emphasize pasture management, and the afternoon program will focus on hay management. Morning presentations will examine why rotational stocking, also known as rotational grazing, should be considered the standard system; how to put a rotational stocking system in place; and determining fair pasture rent. Producers also will discuss their experience with rotational stocking. Presentations in the afternoon will include a producer panel discussion about how to successfully establish a forage stand. Other sessions will deal with soil fertility, reducing losses caused by weeds and insects, harvesting a quality crop with less incidence of rain damage, and developing a hay budget. The final activities of the conference are an economic outlook for hay production and the annual meeting of the Indiana Forage Council. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and costs $10 per person. The program begins at 9:30 a.m. The fairgrounds are on North Fairgrounds Street, a block west of the junction of State Road 44 and U.S. 31 in Franklin. Questions can be directed to Purdue Extension Educator Rick Chase, at the Johnson County Extension Office, (317) 736-3724, or Keith Johnson, Purdue forage specialist, at (765) 494-4800. Compiled by Chris Sigurdson, (765) 494-8415; sig@ecn.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page