Research and Education Grant Examples

Farmers report that labor and feed demands during kidding are barriers to profitability, expansion, and quality of life, with some farmers working an extra 12 to 15 hours each day doing birth checks, artificial rearing, and transitioning from pregnancy to lactation, as compared with others who added only two hours. Data also indicate that fencing choices, predator control, parasite management, and prenatal nutrition influence the success of spring and summer pasture births. The project manager will develop and deliver improved support for farmers to help reduce labor and inputs during indoor winter lambing or kidding and increase the success of pasture birthing. As a result, 20 farmers will adopt changes that will result in at least a 20 percent reduction in labor and feed expanses without reducing herd performance, and at least 120 farmers will make verifiable birth management decisions that are less stressful and make better use of labor and other resources.