The Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast

Birthing in Sync with Your Forage Supply By Jim Gerrish


Listen Later

🎥 Unlock Exclusive Grazing Education – Anytime, Anywhere!

Get instant access to 100+ hours of expert-led grazing courses with SGF TV—all for our lowest monthly price ever! New titles added, price stays the same, cancel anytime.

📲 Tap the link to start streaming now!

www.stockmangrassfarmer.digital/sgfv-podcast

>>>

In this episode of Regenerative Wisdom, grazing expert Jim Gerrish continues his exploration of strategies for year-round grazing. Building on last month’s focus on aligning breeding stock with winter grazing capacity, Jim now turns to the timing of calving and lambing—and why syncing birth cycles with your forage supply is often more effective than following the mantra of "calving in sync with nature."

Jim discusses:

  • The biological and economic demands of peak lactation

  • Why winter calving can be a costly mistake in most operations

  • How modified forage systems (like endophyte-infected tall fescue or cool-season annuals) change the logic of calving season

  • Real-world examples where fall or winter birthing makes sense—and where it doesn’t

    This is a must-listen for anyone looking to lower feed costs, improve livestock performance, and extend their grazing season through smarter timing and forage management.

    🔑 Key Topics Covered:

    • Calving vs. “calving in sync with nature”

    • Nutritional demands of lactation and forage quality

    • Tall fescue as a tool for winter grazing

    • Financial risks of out-of-sync birthing

    • Climate, forage type, and grazing skill as limiting factors

    • When fall and winter calving can make economic sense

      🌱 Actionable Insights:

      1. Match birthing seasons to periods of optimal forage growth—not just tradition.

      2. Use stockpiled forage strategically, especially in fescue-dominant systems.

      3. Avoid chasing higher weaning weights at the cost of higher winter feed bills.

      4. Evaluate your climate and management capacity before shifting calving seasons.

        📚 Resources Mentioned:

        • Jim Gerrish’s Website – American GrazingLands

        • SGF Bookshelf: Find Jim’s books at stockmangrassfarmer.digital

          📌 For more insights and resources, check out https://www.stockmangrassfarmer.digital/profile

          ...more
          View all episodesView all episodes
          Download on the App Store

          The Stockman Grassfarmer PodcastBy The Stockman Grassfarmer

          • 4.7
          • 4.7
          • 4.7
          • 4.7
          • 4.7

          4.7

          38 ratings


          More shows like The Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast

          View all
          Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil Health by Clay Conry

          Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil Health

          437 Listeners

          Regenerative Agriculture Podcast by John Kempf

          Regenerative Agriculture Podcast

          514 Listeners

          The Business of Agriculture Podcast by Damian Mason

          The Business of Agriculture Podcast

          120 Listeners

          Cattle Chat by BCI Cattle Chat

          Cattle Chat

          133 Listeners

          Growers Daily by Farmer Jesse

          Growers Daily

          397 Listeners

          Farm4Profit Podcast by David Whitaker, Corey Hillebo, Tanner Winterhof

          Farm4Profit Podcast

          382 Listeners

          Beyond Labels Clips by Joel Salatin & Dr. Sina McCullough

          Beyond Labels Clips

          256 Listeners

          Grazing Grass Podcast sharing Regenerative Ag Stories by Grazing Grass

          Grazing Grass Podcast sharing Regenerative Ag Stories

          112 Listeners

          Wednesday Night Networking - Sustainable Agriculture by gatewayresearchorganization

          Wednesday Night Networking - Sustainable Agriculture

          4 Listeners

          Ranching Returns Podcast by Jared Luhman

          Ranching Returns Podcast

          228 Listeners

          Roots + Ruminants by Millborn Seeds

          Roots + Ruminants

          38 Listeners

          Working Ranch Radio Show by Justin Mills

          Working Ranch Radio Show

          72 Listeners

          Barn Talk by Tork and Sawyer Whisler

          Barn Talk

          1,662 Listeners

          The Profitable Steward by Jared Sorensen

          The Profitable Steward

          7 Listeners

          Ranchonomics by John Haskell, Ranch Right LLC

          Ranchonomics

          24 Listeners