Pa. grazing conference to feature cattlemen Kit Pharo and Jeremy Engh

PENNSDALE, Pa. — The Lycoming County Conservation District is offering an opportunity to hear two nationally known grazing experts at a fall meeting, “Sustainable Grazing for Profit.”

Grass-based

The meeting will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Pennsdale Civic Center in Pennsdale, Pa.

The presenters — Kit Pharo and Jeremy Engh — each operate large scale grass-based beef operations, but their philosophies and principles can be applied to all livestock production that utilizes forage production.

Registration is required. The price is $25 per person if registered by Aug. 15, and $30 after Aug. 15. For more information, call Rod Morehart at 570-329-1619 or Chad Bower at 570-329-1621.

Pharo and Engh

Kit Pharo and his family operate the Pharo Cattle Company in Cheyenne Wells, Colo.

Pharo’s philosophies and genetics are generating quite a buzz throughout the beef industry as they successfully contradict common beef production models. They specialize in Angus, Red Angus, Hereford, Tartenaise, and Composite bulls. At their 2011 annual spring bull sale, they sold 381 bulls for an average of $4,370 per bull. The bulls were purchased by customers in 28 states and two Canadian provinces.

Production and profit

Pharo’s talk will focus on the differences between production-driven and profit-driven livestock production. He will also discuss the “Three Keys” to making the most efficient use of your available forage resources.

Lakota Ranch

Jeremy Engh is the manager of Lakota Ranch in Remington, Va. The Lakota Ranch specializes in Devon cattle. Lakota’s genetics have been the premier Devon genetics in this country since 1950. From 1985 to 2000, more than 70 percent of the Devon cattle registered in the county were registered by Lakota Ranch.

Lakota bull test

Engh, an eight-time past president of the American Devon Cattle Association, created the Lakota bull test, which is the only exclusively grass fed bull test on the East Coast.

Engh’s talk will focus on the economics of rotational grazing and getting the best weight gain for your animals while grazing.