Javascript is required to use this website.

Top Story

Noted rancher, author to explain ‘sweet spot’ of grazing at conference

By Janelle Atyeo for South Dakota Soil Health Coalition
Dec 20, 2024
Dec 20, 2024

Grazing talk 2.jpg — Canadian rancher Tom Krawiec only lets his livestock graze 40 percent of the above-ground biomass to keep his pasture root systems and soil healthy.
Courtesy photo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By Janelle Atyeo for South Dakota Soil Health Coalition

Tom Krawiec found the sweet spot for grazing quite by accident.

kAm%96 r2?25:2? C2?496C D@F89E @FE E96 A@:?E H96C6 8C2DD :? 9:D A2DEFC6 H2D 3@E9 6DE23=:D965 6?@F89 E@ DE2J 962=E9J 2?5 ?FEC:E:@FD 6?@F89 E@ 96=A 9:D 42EE=6 E@ A24< @? E96 A@F?5D]k^Am

kAm“#62==J[ :E’D ;FDE 2 G6CJ DF3E=6 D9:7E :? 8C2K:?8[” zC2H:64 D2:5 7C@> ?@CE96C? p=36CE2 5FC:?8 2 C646?E +@@> :?E6CG:6H]k^Am

kAmw:D 9@CD6D 2?5 =2>3D 82:?65 6I46AE:@?2==J H6== :? 62C=J pF8FDE[ 96 D2:5[ H96? E96 8C2DD :? E96:C A2DEFC6D 925 DE2CE65 E@ 92C56?[ 364@>:?8 9:896C :? AC@E6:?] %96 <6J H2D E@ 42E49 :E ;FDE 367@C6 E96 8C2DD C624965 :ED C6AC@5F4E:G6 A92D6]k^Am

kAm“x E9@F89E[ ‘(@H[ E96J’C6 C62==J A24<:?8 @? E96 A@F?5D[’” 96 D2:5]k^Am

Grazing talk 1.jpg — Canadian rancher and author Tom Krawiec will discuss his methods for maximizing pasture health and animal production at the 2025 Soil Health Conference, Jan. 15-16 in Watertown, SD.
Courtesy photo

kAmw6 ?@H H2?ED E@ <66A 9:D 2?:>2=D 8C2K:?8 8C2DD 2E E92E DE286 J62C\C@F?5] zC2H:64 C@E2E65 9:D 2?:>2=D E9C@F89 A2DEFC6D[ 2?5 42=4F=2E65 E96 2>@F?E @7 E:>6 E96 8C2DD ?66565 E@ C6DE 27E6C 8C2K:?8]k^Am

kAm“x DE2CE65 9@>:?8 :? @? E96 DH66E DA@E[” zC2H:64 D2:5]k^Am

kAmw:D 42EE=6 2C6 92AAJ] w6:76CD 4@?D:DE6?E=J 82:? a]d A@F?5D 2 52J] r2=G6D H6C6 d_ E@ g_ A@F?5D 962G:6C 2E H62?:?8]k^Am

kAm{6EE:?8 9:D A2DEFC6D C6DE 2?5 AC@G:5:?8 2 4@G6C @7 C6D:5F6 2==@H65 9:D 7@C286 AC@5F4E:@? E@ E2<6 @77] w6 H6?E 7C@> 8C2K:?8 c_ 4@H\42=7 A2:CD 2?5 f_ 9@8D @? bfb 24C6D E@ CF??:?8 b[___ J62C=:?8D @? d[d__ C6?E65 24C6D]k^Am

kAmqJ 8C2K:?8 @?=J c_T @7 E96 23@G6\8C@F?5 3:@>2DD[ E96 C@@ED 5@?’E DE@A 8C@H:?8[ 96 =62C?65] %92E’D 2 36?67:E E@ D@:= 962=E9] }@E @?=J 5@6D :E <66A E96 8C@F?5 4@G6C65[ 3FE C@@ED 8C@H 566A6C 2?5 A=2?ED C6=62D6 D@:= 6IF52E6D E92E 7665 E96 =:G:?8 @C82?:D>D :? E96 D@:=]k^Am

kAm“xE 364@>6D 2 >F49 962=E9:6C 6?G:C@?>6?E[” zC2H:64 D2:5] “|@C6 3:@=@8J H:== DFCG:G6 E96 H:?E6C D62D@?] }6IE DAC:?8 J@F’C6 DE2CE:?8 2E 2 9:896C =6G6=[ 2?5 3J J62C E9C66 J@F 92G6 E9:D 6IA=@D:@?]”k^Am

People are also reading…

Propagating the prairie: Couple creates business out of raising native plants
Cattle-station cookbook helps disaster
Back to grass: Focused on conservation, Midwest farmers return cropland to prairie state
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Wisconsin popular destination for turkeys
Buyer beware: Problem cows, accessories sold separately
Breakfast offers ‘majestic’ chance to talk dairy
100-year-old veteran recalls battles of World War II
Missouri legislature extends ag tax credits
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Fickle weather creates field challenges
A herdsman’s claim to AI
Cook shares classic chicken and cookie recipes with a twist
Bison may not have future on Great Plains
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts

kAmzC2H:64 H:== E2=< 23@FE 9:D 8C2K:?8 A=2? 2?5 D:>A=:7:65 2AAC@249 E@ C2?49:?8 5FC:?8 E96 a_ad $@:= w62=E9 r@?76C6?46[ y2?] `d\`e 2E E96 #2><@E2 w@E6= 2?5 tG6?E r6?E6C :? (2E6CE@H?[ $@FE9 s2<@E2] %96 2??F2= 6G6?E :D @C82?:K65 3J E96 $@FE9 s2<@E2 $@:= w62=E9 r@2=:E:@?]k^Am

kAmt5F42E:@?2= D6>:?2CD 42? 36 =:76 492?8:?8[ 2D zC2H:64 42? 2EE6DE] xE H2D ad J62CD 28@ H96? 96 2EE6?565 2 H66<\=@?8 9@=:DE:4 >2?286>6?E 4@FCD6]k^Am

kAm“xE C62==J A:BF65 >J :?E6C6DE 2?5 6?=:G6?65 >J A2DD:@? 23@FE 8C@H:?8 8C2DD[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 7:?5:?8 E96 DH66E DA@E :? 9:D A2DEFC6D 2?5 4@>:?8 FA H:E9 2 D@=:5 8C2K:?8 A=2?[ zC2H:64’D ?6IE 677@CE H2D E@ >2<6 E9:?8D D:>A=6] w:D 3@@< 23@FE :E[ “#2?49:?8 {:<6 2 `a\*62C\~=5i #2?49:?8 E92E :D $:>A=6[ t2DJ[ 2?5 uF?” H2D AF3=:D965 :? a_aa]k^Am

kAmw:D 7@C>6C D6E\FA C6=:65 @? E@@ >F49 E6>A@C2CJ 76?46[ E@@ >2?J D6A2C2E6 96C5D 2?5 C6BF:C65 E@@ >F49 677@CE E@ 92F= H2E6C E@ E96 5:776C6?E A255@4<D]k^Am

kAm“(6 H6C6 H@C<:?8 @FC 3FEED @77[ 2?5 :E H2D ?@E 7F?[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmw@DE:?8 2 4@FA=6 @7 4:EJ <:5D @? 9:D C2?49 7@C E96 DF>>6C AC@>AE65 9:> E@ 4@?D:56C 9@H E@ >@5:7J E2D<D @C 6=:>:?2E6 E96> :7 E96J H6C6 E@@ 5:77:4F=E 7@C D@>6@?6 J@F?86C E92? `a @C @=56C E92? g_ E@ 92?5=6]k^Am

Caputa, S.D., cattle producer Shawn Freeland made a major shift in the way he grazes cattle and found it made for less work.
Submitted photo

kAm“p =@E @7 A6@A=6 ;FDE 5@?’E 92G6 E92E >:?5D6E[” D2:5 $92H? uC66=2?5[ 2 C2?496C 7C@> r2AFE2 :? H6DE6C? $@FE9 s2<@E2 H9@ 3@F89E zC2H:64’D 3@@< 27E6C 962C:?8 9:> @? 2 A@542DE]k^Am

kAmuC66=2?5 7@F?5 E96 D:>A=6 8C2K:?8 DJDE6>D :?E6C6DE:?8] w6’D =@@<:?8 7@CH2C5 E@ =62C?:?8 >@C6 23@FE 8C2K:?8 :? E96 DH66E DA@E 2?5 E2=<:?8 E@ zC2H:64 2E E96 $@:= w62=E9 r@?76C6?46]k^Am

kAmpEE6?5:?8 E96 H:?E6C 4@?76C6?46 :D H92E >256 uC66=2?5 H2?E E@ ;@:? E96 $@FE9 s2<@E2 $@:= w62=E9 r@2=:E:@? q@2C5 @7 s:C64E@CD[ H96C6 96’D D6CG65 D:?46 a_`g] pD >@C6 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD 25@AE C686?6C2E:G6 AC24E:46D[ 96’D 7@F?5 :E 6IA2?5D @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ ?6EH@C< 2?5 =62C? 7C@> @E96CD 2E E96 4@?76C6?46]k^Am

kAm“xE’D ?:46 E@ 86E 2C@F?5 E9@D6 =:<6\>:?565 A6@A=6] %96 ?6EH@C<:?8 :D 9F86[” uC66=2?5 D2:5]k^Am

kAm#68:DEC2E:@? :D @A6? 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]D5D@:=962=E94@2=:E:@?]@C8^D@:=\962=E9\4@?76C6?46Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmHHH]D5D@:=962=E94@2=:E:@?]@C8^D@:=\962=E9\4@?76C6?46k^2m] p5>:DD:@? :D Sd_[ H9:49 :?4=F56D 2== 6G6?E >2E6C:2=D 2?5 >62=D 2D H6== 2D $s$wr >6>36CD9:A] $EF56?ED 42? C68:DE6C 7@C 7C66]k^Am

kAmu@C BF6DE:@?D @C DA64:2= 244@>>@52E:@?D[ 4@?E24E E96 r@2=:E:@? 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@iD5D@:=962=E9o8>2:=]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmD5D@:=962=E9o8>2:=]4@>k^2m @C e_d\ag_\c`h_]k^Am

Be the first to know

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Related to this story

Marketplace

Recently Listed

Auctions

Featured

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

May 27, 2026

Marketplace

Find the equipment you're looking for

Tractors
Combines
Harvesters
Planting
Misc Equipment
Hay Equipment
Trailers
Trucks
Livestock
Seed
Feed/Hay

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits:

Noted rancher, author to explain ‘sweet spot’ of grazing at conference

Marketplace

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

Marketplace

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these exclusive benefits:

People are also reading…

Be the first to know

Related to this story

Marketplace

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

Marketplace

Find the equipment you're looking for

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits: