Free-Range, Grass-Fed, and Pastured Livestock

 

 

Arizona Resources

Colorado Resources

New Mexico Resources

Utah Resources

Free-Range Poultry Production & Marketing

Grass-Based Production & Marketing

Pastured Livestock Production & Marketing

Case Studies

 

*Each resource within the Four Corners region will be marked with an asterisk

 

See also:

 

 

Arizona Resources

 

*Arizona Department of Agriculture: Animal Services Division

This resource website has information about various livestock regulations for the state of Arizona.

http://www.azda.gov/ASD/asd.htm

 

*Arizona Ranchers’ Management Guide

This newly updated guide contains extension-developed information on a wide range of issues related to Arizona ranch management, including information on production, policy, and economic issues.

http://ag.arizona.edu/arec/pubs/rmg/ranchers.html

 

*Fresh, Local & Sustainable Foods of Canyon Country

The Center for Sustainable Environments of the Northern Arizona University has published the fourth edition of a sustainable foods directory for Canyon Country, otherwise known as the Colorado Plateau or Four Corners region. The directory includes a listing of restaurants that serve local agricultural products.

http://www.environment.nau.edu/Publications/FoodDirectory/Localfoodsdirectory.pdf

 

Colorado Resources

 

*Colorado Alternative Livestock Industry Contacts

This contact list has been prepared by the CO Department of Agriculture, Division of Markets. The livestock contact list includes information for alternative livestock producers, beef and dairy cattle, horse, sheep, and swine producers.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=MDT-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D785%2F566%2FAlternative.pdf&blobheadervalue2=abinary%3B+charset%3DUTF-8&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1191378626569&ssbinary=true

 

*Colorado Meat Directory

The Colorado Meat Directory is provided as a service to meat producers and buyers. Listings are organized by five major regions of the state: Denver Metro Area, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and Northwest. http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=MDT-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D72%2F24%2FBeef%2C1.pdf&blobheadervalue2=abinary%3B+charset%3DUTF-8&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1167363902434&ssbinary=true

 

*Colorado Organic Producers Association
Provides education, information, and networking services to promote and facilitate the production, distribution, and consumption of Colorado organic food products. COPA members represent all segments of agriculture-production, processing, wholesale, retail, and consumer. The website has the contact information for various producers that raise grass-fed beef and free range products.

http://www.organiccolorado.org/

 

* 2008 Colorado Farm Fresh Directory

The 2008 Farm Fresh Directory is now being compiled. Forms to be listed in the directory are available on the main page of: www.coloradoagriculture.com. The link below will take you to the 2007 directory. The farm and farmers' markets in the directory feature the highest quality, Colorado-grown produce. Inside you will also find information about county fairs, agricultural festivals, extension offices as well as a crop calendar.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=MDT-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D743%2F501%2FFarmFreshforweb.pdf&blobheadervalue2=abinary%3B+charset%3DUTF-8&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1191378605612&ssbinary=true

 

*Colorado State University Extension: Livestock Fact Sheets

The numerous fact sheets on the CSU extension site fall under the three topics of livestock management, health and judging.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/livestk/publive.html

 

*GrassRoots Meats

GrassRoots Meats, located in Southwestern CO, produces all natural, grass-finished beef and lamb raised without added hormones or antibiotics.

http://grassrootsmeats.com/

 

*Holistic Range Management brings Economic and Ecological Success to Colorado Farmer

This article from the New Farm highlights rancher Mark Frasier from Woodrow, CO who holistically manages 3,400 head of beef cattle yearlings and 400 head of fall-calving cows on 29,000 acres of native range.

http://www.newfarm.org/archive/1000_stories/sare_stories/frasier.shtml

 

New Mexico Resources

 

*New Mexico State University Extension: Livestock Publications

This is a rather extensive list of technical publications that have to do with livestock management.

http://cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_b/

 

*New Mexico Organic Producers Marketing Guide

This guide is designed to help you explore which markets might work best for you and give you some ideas about how to access those markets. Marketing topics include Farmers’ Markets, CSAs, Selling to Retail Outlets, Selling to Restaurants, and Selling to Wholesalers.

http://nmocc.state.nm.us/pdf/MarketManual.pdf

 

Utah Resources

 

*Small Pasture Management Guide for Utah

This is a resource guide put together by the Utah State University Extension. The guide helps the producer develop a plan for healthy small scale pasture management.

http://extension.usu.edu/files/agpubs/pasture.pdf

 

*State of Utah Department of Agriculture and Food: Livestock Services

This is a comprehensive list of livestock services provided by the UDAF.

http://ag.utah.gov/services.html#livestock

 

*Treading Lightly Saves Rancher/Farmer from Losing Livelihood and More

Frank Bohman of Morgan, UT uses management intensive grazing methods for his 160 Hereford cow/calf beef herd. This article is from the New Farm website.

http://www.newfarm.org/archive/1000_stories/sare_stories/bohman.shtml

 

*Utah Livestock Producer Directory

This is a directory put together by the State of Utah Department of Agriculture.

http://ag.utah.gov/marketing/LivestockDirectory.pdf

 

*Utah State University Extension: Livestock Concerns

This webpage has information about small acreage animal production in Utah. Topics include information about pasture management and parasite control.

http://extension.usu.edu/smac/htm/animals

 

Free Range Poultry Production & Marketing

 

Alternative Poultry Production Systems and Outdoor Access

This publication discusses differences between alternative and conventional production systems. Various aspects of free-range systems in the U.S. and abroad are presented.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/poultryoverview.html

 

ATTRA: Publications on Alternative Poultry Production

These publications include on information on the following topics; poultry business management, poultry processing and other small scale and alternative poultry topics.

http://attra.ncat.org/livestock.html#Poultry

 

Avian Influenza in Free-Range and Organic Poultry Production

This publication provides information on avian influenza as it pertains to this type of specialty poultry production.

http://attra.ncat.org/avian.html

 

Direct Marketing Pasture Poultry Products

This publication is based on a series of conference calls between eight pasture poultry producers and a number of guests. The information gathered from the calls has been synthesized into a marketing guide developed by the Kansas Rural Center.

http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/publications/DMPPP.pdf

 

Free Range Poultry Production & Marketing by Herman Beck-Chenoweth

This book is actually a complete how-to manual and includes construction plans, feed formulas, slaughter information and marketing solutions, including sample marketing tools. For information on how to order the book please visit the following website:

http://www.back40books.com/get_item_978-0-918779-04-5_free-range-poultry-production.htm

 

Growing Your Range Poultry Business: An Entrepreneur’s Toolbox

This publication has information on making a profit from range poultry production through direct-marketing, building a processing plant, or working cooperatively with other producers.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/poultrytoolbox.pdf

 

Profitable Poultry: Raising Birds on Pasture

"Profitable Poultry: Raising Birds on Pasture" features farmer experiences plus the latest research in a guide to raising chickens and turkeys using pens, movable fencing and pastures.

http://www.sare.org/publications/poultry.htm

 

Grass-Based Production & Marketing

 

ATTRA: Grass Farming Articles

This list of ATTRA publications includes articles about rotational grazing, nutrient cycling in pastures and organic pasture operations.

http://www.attra.org/livestock.html#Grass

 

Grass Fed Cattle: How to Produce and Market Natural Beef

Grass-Fed Cattle, by Julius Ruechel, offers complete information on running a profitable, environmentally sustainable farm based on the efficiency of cattle and grass. For information about ordering the book visit the following website:

http://www.back40books.com/get_item_978-1-58017-605-7.htm

 

How to Direct Market Your Beef

How to Direct Market Your Beef portrays how one ranching couple used their family's ranch to launch a profitable, range-based beef operation focused on direct-market sales. To order the book, please visit the following website:

http://www.sare.org/publications/beef.htm

 

Marketing Grass-Fed Beef

This is a valuable marketing guide developed by the Kansas Rural Center. The guide covers specific recommendations for marketing grass-fed beef.

http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/publications/grassfedbeef.pdf

 

Organic Grass Farm

The Organic Grass Farm website has resources and information on grass fed beef and organic farming.

http://www.organicgrassfarm.com/

 

Pastured Livestock Production & Marketing

 

Consumer Perceptions of Pasture-raised Beef and Dairy Products: An Internet Study

The Leopold Center and the ISU Business Analysis Laboratory cooperated to design and conduct a small Internet-based study focusing on pasture-raised beef and dairy products.

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/pasture/pasture.htm

 

Direct Marketing Pasture Poultry Products

This publication is based on a series of conference calls between eight pasture poultry producers and a number of guests. The information gathered from the calls has been synthesized into a marketing guide developed by the Kansas Rural Center.

http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/publications/DMPPP.pdf

 

*Holistic Range Management brings Economic and Ecological Success to Colorado Farmer

This article from the New Farm highlights rancher Mark Frasier from Woodrow, CO who holistically manages 3,400 head of beef cattle yearlings and 400 head of fall-calving cows on 29,000 acres of native range.

http://www.newfarm.org/archive/1000_stories/sare_stories/frasier.shtml

 

How to Direct Market Your Beef

How to Direct Market Your Beef portrays how one ranching couple used their family's ranch to launch a profitable, range-based beef operation focused on direct-market sales. To order the book, please visit the following website:

http://www.sare.org/publications/beef.htm

 

Profitable Poultry: Raising Birds on Pasture

"Profitable Poultry: Raising Birds on Pasture" features farmer experiences plus the latest research in a guide to raising chickens and turkeys using pens, movable fencing and pastures.

http://www.sare.org/publications/poultry.htm

 

*Treading Lightly Saves Rancher/Farmer from Losing Livelihood and More

Frank Bohman of Morgan, UT uses management intensive grazing methods for his 160 Hereford cow/calf beef herd. This article is from the New Farm website.

http://www.newfarm.org/archive/1000_stories/sare_stories/bohman.shtml

 

Case Studies

 

*Holistic Range Management brings Economic and Ecological Success to Colorado Farmer

This article from the New Farm highlights rancher Mark Frasier from Woodrow, CO who holistically manages 3,400 head of beef cattle yearlings and 400 head of fall-calving cows on 29,000 acres of native range.

http://www.newfarm.org/archive/1000_stories/sare_stories/frasier.shtml

 

Pastured Poultry: A Heifer Project International Case Study Booklet

This booklet summarizes the experiences of 35 Southern farm families who from 1996-1999 participated in a project titled "Integrating Pastured Poultry into the Farming Systems of Limited Resource Farmers," conducted by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and Heifer Project International (HPI).

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/pasturedpoultry.html

 

*Treading Lightly Saves Rancher/Farmer from Losing Livelihood and More

Frank Bohman of Morgan, UT uses management intensive grazing methods for his 160 Hereford cow/calf beef herd. This article is from the New Farm website.

http://www.newfarm.org/archive/1000_stories/sare_stories/bohman.shtml