Cattle and the Environment

Cows play a pivotal role on the farm. They are not only an important source of income, but they are instrumental in the plan to re-establish Plateau savannas. Coal Creek has developed cool and warm season fields to feed cattle. The cattle forage on essentially native grasses and trees. Prescribed burns reduce thicket and allow native grasses to spread. Grazing the cows on native grass savannahs has allowed Coal Creek to increase our total acreage of useable cattle land without additional expense to remove the stumps and create fields.

It’s good for the environment, good for the cows, and good for the bottom line. By feeding Coal Creek Farm’s cows with native grasses, we are experimenting with a new system for grassland creation and maintenance. It allows us to rest our cool season grass fields during the summer when warm season grasses are abundant. It also increases our total yield of cool-season baled hay stocked for winter feeding.

In this way, we are developing a cattle management philosophy that not only benefits us as cattle producers but also creates more native grassland habitat.

Coupled with our controlled burn strategy, we have found that following a clear cut with a burn, native grasses appear on their own. We are creating a cost-effective food source for the cows and native habitats with little expense.

We hope others will try it.