Rotational grazing is a management practice in which livestock are cycled through multiple fenced grazing areas (paddocks) to manage forage production, forage quality, and environmental quality. Despite the breadth of support for rotational grazing, only limited information is available on its prevalence and the variation in how producers implement the practice.

This USDA-ERS report details how frequently or “intensively” grazing operations rotate livestock between paddocks, key system characteristics such as average paddock size, and how outcomes such as stocking density and cost relate to system characteristics. The study finds that about 40 percent of cow-calf operations use rotational grazing, but less than half of those are under intensive systems. Rotational grazing is most common in the Northern Plains/Western Corn Belt and Appalachian regions.

Maine is currently without both a Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF) State Veterinarian and a UMaine Extension Veterinarian. Both positions are in the process of being filled. In the interim the folks at the UMaine Extension Diagnostic Research Lab (DRL) have arranged for UNH to handle Maine's necropsies. The DRL is still offering other services and can be contacted at 207-581-3874. The NH VDL is located in Durham, NH. Here is a link to their website.

Duties of the DACF state vet are being covered by the two assistant vets until the new vet is hired. They are also hiring an Animal Health Office Assistant. If you need to contact someone in their office you can call the Animal Health office at 207-287-3701 and leave a message and someone will get back to you.

Our factsheet How Maine Farmers Can Determine if They Have Enough Hay and Forage for the Winter walks you through steps to estimate how much you need and how much you have in storage.

Our YouTube video Got Livestock – Need Hay features Rick Kersbergen, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Professor, who shares information on how to assess what you have for feed, assess how much feed you will need for the next six to seven months, and strategies to consider if you don’t have enough feed.

Maine Hay Directory - if you need hay or have hay to sell check out this site.

The MBPA website has information about the association, the board of directors, and forms for awards, activities, and sales. Members have the opportunity to have their farm listed with a photo, description of their farm, and a link to their own farm website. You can add this information when you join or send the information and digital photo to Russ Florenz at info@mainebeefproducersassociation.com

The Maine Beef Producers Association has a Facebook page. Like and follow to get the fastest information from Maine Beef Producers Association. Facebook

The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2022 year. Annual dues are $35. For an extra $25 you can get a year subscription to County Folks. For more information on this organization and for membership application and online payment go to http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.com

You can join the association online and pay by credit card on a secure site or by mailing the information to Sally Caverly by either printing off the form from the website, or completing the pdf version of the form and mailing to her at 1457 River Rd., Clinton, ME.

USDA Ag Marketing Service publishes beef cattle prices for a number of locations throughout the US.

This report shows the Weekly average steer price for this year, last year and the 5-year average. Get the full pdf of this National Weekly Cattle and Beef Summary.

National Monthly Grass Feb Beef Report - includes wholesale and retail (direct to consumer) prices of cuts of meat as well as small and very small producer carcass prices (wholesale $4.39/# - direct to consumer $7.97/# to $9.15/#.)

Vermont Monthly Local Beef Report - includes carcass prices as well as retail prices (direct to consumer) per cut for locally raised beef. Dressed beef carcass value for October 2022: $325/cwt.