Forage Management Online Course

FORAGE MANAGEMENT BAG226

Duration (approx) 100 hours

Qualification Statement of Attainment

Learn to better manage forage resources for both livestock and other animals.

For farm animals
For wildlife
For sustainable ecosystems

To manage forage resources, you need to have a good understanding of both the plants growing in an area, and the animals that graze on those plants. It requires an appreciation of plant and animal ecology and the impacts which man can have on that ecology.

Please note that if you choose the 'e-learning' (course on USB) method, be aware that due to current covid-19 restrictions there are some countries we can not send USB sticks to.
We recommend you choose the online learning method as all online courses provide access to download course notes to access offline or print. If you do require your course to be supplied on USB stick then please contact us first to check availability for your country.

It's easy to enrol...

Select a payment plan: Plan A: 1 payment of £325.00
Plan B: 2 payments of £180.00

Select a learning method Online : 5% Discount
E-Learning (supplied on USB Stick)

Learn to better manage forage resources on farms and in natural landscapes.

For farm animals
For wildlife
To promote and manage sustainable ecosystems

COURSE CONTENT

This course has eight lessons as follows:

Lesson 1. Scope and Nature of Forage Resources

Introduction
Terminology
Types of Forage
Types of Forage Lands
What different Animals Eat - Avian, Monogastric, Ruminants, Pseudo Ruminant
Managing Forage Ecosystems
Over grazing
Continuous vs Rotational Grazing
Ecosystem Health
Weed Types
Weed Populations

Lesson 2. Grassland Species and Ecosystems

Different Ways to Feed Animals
Different Fodder Systems
Different Fodder Plants - grasses, legumes, roots, wildflowers, forbs

Lesson 3. Fodder Trees and Shrubs

Definitions
Advantages & Disadvantages of Fodder Trees
Using Fodder Trees
Harvesting Foliage - pollarding, coppicing, browse blocks, leaf fall, silvopasture systems
Criteria for plant selection
Financial considerations
Considering Tree Species - Acacias, Bamboos, Beech, Black locust, Carob, Honey Locust, Pome Fruits and many more

Lesson 4. Forage Establishment

Natural area Grazing
Seeding
Soil - soil biome, rhizosphere, autotoxicity
Weed Management
Biodiversity -riparian zone, birds

Lesson 5. Forage Management

Regenerative Grazing Management
Improving Soil Quality
Strategies for Soil Improvement - crop rotation, tillage, zero tillage, fertility testing, soil compaction, soil cover
Fertiliser Management
NPK
Using Legumes
Irrigation Management
Animal Management
Animal Access Management - hedges, wire, barbed wire, electric fence, stone walls, banks/rises, gates, digital fencing tech
Controlled Burning
Pest and Disease Management

Lesson 6. Forage Quality and Use

Understanding Quality -palatability. intake, digestibility. nutrients, anti quality forage, animal performance
Composition and Analysis- moisture content, crude protein, fibre, energy, minerals, relative feed value etc
Cutting

Lesson 7. Forage (animal) related disorders

Recognising ill health
Seasonal and Conditional Disorders -bloat, acidosis, nitrate poisoning, prussic acid, grass tetany, phytoestrogens, etc
Overgrazing
Parasites
Worms
Species Related Disorders - fescue taxicosis, endophyte toxins, ryegrass staggers, anti quality components, phenolic compounds
Seasonal and Conditional Disorders -plant poisoning
Disorders Associated with Stored Forages

Lesson 8. Preserving Forage as Hay and Silage

Making Hay - curing, weather factors, etc
Mowing
Conditioning
Swathe Manipulation to Speed Drying
Hay Storage and Preservation
Phases in Silage Fermentation
Silage Storage
Silage Management

AIMS:

Discuss the nature and scope of forage plants eaten by animals, both in captivity and in the wild.
Identify the comparative characteristics of grasses and other low growing fodder plants from different natural and created habitats, including grasses, legumes and forbs.
Identify the comparative characteristics of grasses and other low growing fodder plants from different natural and created habitats including a range of trees and shrubs.
Explain how forage plants may be established effectively in a managed pasture.
Explain how to manage a landscape to optimise forage production in a way that is sustainable, both economically and environmentally.
Explore factors that impact the quantity and quality of forage produced by a landscape and the effect on productivity of forage production.
Identify common problems that can arise in livestock and other animals as a result or the forage/fodder they eat.
Harvest and store forage plants for feeding animals after a period of storage.

Sustainability

Managing environments and promoting natural ecosystems is key to generating sustainable environmental systems.

Gain knowledge and understanding in how to establish forage plants pastures and established landscapes - an important part of the management of lands and their environment.
Understand how better to manage pasture to provide all year round grazing and forage, whilst managing soil quality, irrigation, and the access livestock and animals have to these areas.
Learn from highly knowledgeable and experienced academics. Study online or by eLearning- studying whenever and wherever you want. Enrol today and start learning!

Courses can be started anytime from anywhere in the world!

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