The South Dakota Grassland Coalition offers a series of videos for livestock producers from across South Dakota who have discovered the benefits of matching calving to their ranch resources.
The 25 videos offer personal stories from nearly 30 producers about the challenges and benefits of shifting calving dates to fit with natural cycles. The men and women interviewed discuss the opportunities for improved livestock health and profitability, as well as a more enjoyable and less stressful family life.
The Calving Alternative videos will be released over a five-week period. Each weekly release will contain four to six videos associated with the five main topics listed below. The free videos can be accessed by visiting the coalition’s website or YouTube channel.
Jim Faulstich, a Highmore, S.D., area rancher and board member of the coalition, initially urged the board to pursue this project. However, he says it did not take long for all to realize the need to encourage livestock producers to take a hard look at their financial and natural resources related to calving seasons.
“For anyone considering changing their calving season, the South Dakota Grassland Coalition series of calving timing videos should really offer a wealth of information and answer most questions about the transition,” Faulstich says. “Plus, the real value is that it offers a large list of experienced producers that the listeners can call on for additional questions, guidance and mentoring.”
Video offerings
In total, the video series offers more than five hours of in-depth testimony, with individual videos ranging from three to 25 minutes, depending on the topic. The first five videos were released Feb. 18. The remainder of the videos will be posted weekly on Thursdays over the next month.
In addition to the videos, the coalition will also be hosting “Tuesday Night Live” Zoom meetings, featuring those who appear in the calving series. These open public sessions will allow livestock producers to ask questions of the participants. The next of the Tuesday Night Live discussions will be 7 p.m. March 1.
For more information, contact Judge Jessop at judge.jessop@sdconservation.net
5 topics in series
1. When and where to calve
- winter challenges
- facilities and infrastructure
- pasture shelter and protection
- planning calving pastures
- moving cows and new calves
- working with nature
- education
- paradigms and resisting change
2. Managing the herd
- cow management
- calf management
- bull and breeding management
3. Assessing ranch resources
- evaluate
- forage and carrying capacity
- education
- paradigms and resisting change
4. Finance, profit and marketing
- reducing input costs
- know your product
- flexibility, options and opportunity
- paradigms and resisting change
5. People, relationships and quality of life
- labor
- stress
- marriage
- family life and parenting
- passing it on
- paradigms and resisting change