In this episode of Ruminating with RealAg, host Amber Bell sits down with Jaime (Jim) Elizondo of Real Wealth Ranching to unpack the principles of “total grazing.” With decades of experience in dairy nutrition, agronomy, and accounting, Elizondo shares his global perspective on livestock productivity, soil regeneration, and adapting grazing systems to work with—not against—nature.... Read More
Category: Ruminating with RealAg
It's pretty safe to say that the evolution of electric fencing has been a game changer when it comes to giving farmers and ranchers cost-effective, flexible solutions for rotational grazing, riparian protection, and keeping wildlife out of bale yards. While putting up an electric fence sounds like a straightforward process, there are a lot of... Read More
Anyone who’s worked with livestock knows just how many threats exist—diseases, toxic plants, and parasites can all put animal health at risk. It’s up to ranchers and feedlot operators to do everything they can to protect the animals in their care. One threat that had been nearly forgotten, until recently, is the New World Screwworm,... Read More
Legumes are often a welcome addition to pastures. They fix nitrogen, improve forage quality with higher protein and digestibility, and can extend the grazing season. Deep-rooted species such as alfalfa also help maintain productivity during dry spells. The balance, of course, is the risk and fear of bloat. In this episode of Ruminating with RealAg,... Read More
Producers are usually looking for an economical way to put weight on their animals, usually in the source of high protein supplements. To this end, distillers' grains (DDGs) seem to be an ideal fit. This byproduct of grain based ethanol production is high in crude protein, a moderate source of both fiber and oil, and... Read More
In the next decade, thousands of farms and farm businesses will transition in ownership from one generation to the next. How that hand-off happens is far from simple. Farm transitions involve not just assets and operations, but also families, livelihoods, and legacies. In this episode of Ruminating with RealAg, Annessa Good-Hassard of Peak Heritage Consulting... Read More
Spring is an exciting — and busy — time of year. For some ranchers calving is just coming to a close; for others it may be just starting. There are fences to fix, water systems to install and repair, grazing plans to finalize and cattle to run through the squeeze. Often in the hectic pace... Read More
There is nothing quite like having the exact right tool at the exact right time to get a job done. Many ranchers out on pasture have experienced the importance of that moment when they are looking for their favourite hammer or nut driver, only to realize that it's missing from the toolbox, lost to the... Read More
There have been many memes created around the adventure that working cattle with family members can hold. Whether that's husband and wife, or kids with their parents, the things said while working cattle are often things that cannot be spoken outside of the corral. This was Dylan Biggs' experience growing up working cattle with his... Read More
The day-to-day on a family ranch often means juggling many pieces in order to get the job done and raise the chances of making a profit. The Luthi Ranch, a 6th-generation family enterprise in western Wyoming, is no exception. On this episode of Ruminating with RealAg, Bryan Luthi joins host Amber Bell to discuss the... Read More