The Double M is a pasture-based multi-species livestock operation that features 12 month grazing with minimum use of mechanically produced-harvested-delivered feedstuffs(MPHD). Target brood stock numbers are about: 40 does, 250 ewes and 40 mother cows. Land: The land consists of two sets of pastures about three miles apart that are divided into 18 (on 240a/97ha), and, 13 (on 160a/64ha) permanently
fenced paddocks. About half of the land is native mixed tall-grass-mid- grass prairie. Dominant species are big bluestem, little blue stem, sideoats gama, hairy gama, blue gama, plus various other warm and cool season grasses and forbs. Most of the remaining land was dry crop ground that we planted to various mixtures of native and introduced varieties of warm and cool season perennial grasses and legumes. We also have about 17 acres of abandoned cattle feedlots that grow annual volunteer mixtures of various forbs (weeds). When properly managed, these lots are extremely productive through the late spring and summer with very high quality forage for all three livestock species. Line fences are multi-strand barbwire with an offset hi-tensile electrified wire at about 10" above ground level. The newer internal divider fences are two strand hi-tensile electrified wires. The paddocks are rotationally grazed. The rate of movement through the paddocks is determined by rate of plant growth, and the rest time needed for plants to recover. We rely heavily on Holistic Management principles and Holistic Management International’s, Planned Grazing Program spreadsheet that was written by Ralph Tate. The spreadsheet is like air conditioning and 4-wheelers, once used, they become a necessity. MPHDWhen needed, usually February-early April, dry winter pasture is supplemented with very limited quantities of high quality alfalfa hay unrolled on paddocks a couple days per week. A supply of hay sufficient to feed all the brood stock for 60 days is restocked every fall. Some of this feed is used to feed the does during kidding, feed during extreme ice-snow cover, and as a drought reserve. We raise no crops, except pasture, and make no hay. All MPHD feedstuffs are purchased. Goats: Spanish-Boer crossbred does are kidded in barns in April. Kids are vaccinated for the anaerobes, tagged and castrated before the families are moved to pastures with the other livestock in May. The kid crop is sold straight off their moms and pasture at the end of September. Replacement doelings are weaned, bred and kept in lots until they go to pasture with their kids in the following May. Mamma does are bred and wintered with the other stock on pasture until February when they come back to the barns before kidding. Sheep: Romanov-White Dorper-St. Croix composite (hairsheep/no shear) crossbred ewes are lambed on pastures separate from the cows between May 5 and May 24. Ewe families are merged with the other stock at the end of the lambing period. Lambs and ewes are not handled until August when lambs are tagged, counted, vaccinated for the anaerobes, and the intact buck lambs are weaned and moved to pastures that are several miles away from the ewes and ewe lambs. Lambs are sold off pasture at the end of October at about 70 lbs. Replacement ewe lambs are weaned at the end of November, put in lots and bred before being merged with mature ewes on pasture in February before they lamb in May. Mature ewes are wintered and bred on pasture with the other stock. Cattle: Cows are calved primarily on pastures starting in mid-April. Calves are weaned in mid-December, back grounded in drylot for 30 days, and sold in January. The cattle diversify income sources, help deter predation, are beneficial for the range/pasture sustainability, and help control parasite contamination of pastures. In addition to the predator deterrence of the cows, we have a guard dog and llama with each of the two bands that are grazed on the two separate sets of pastures, and a jenny donkey with one of the bands. The Double M is a work in progress. We've been running this operation for many years with lots of changes over the years, and hopefully, lots of changes in the future.
