Ranchers with a few decades of experience under their belt can provide some of the most practical management tips you'll ever learn. Lavern and Sue Koch of New Underwood, S.D., are one such pair. The couple has spent more than five decades together on their ranch, which has evolved from dairy, wheat and commercial cattle to their "retirement plan" of just cattle.
He's 75 and she's 70, and they are still eager and enthusiastic believers in ranching and grazing management.
Throughout the early 1990s, Lavern and Sue were involved with a local "Bootstraps" program, which they credit with helping them think outside the box, giving them ideas on everything from rotational grazing to estate planning. They eagerly put much of what they learned into practice. Through trial and error they have developed a family ranching operation that now includes their son Larry. And their two daughters live nearby.
What has been key to this couple's journey as a beef operation with a focus on grazing management? Lavern and Sue share these lessons:
• "First off, this is a 'we' operation," says Lavern. He notes how important it was for Sue to attend many of the same meetings, workshops and tours that he did, so they could take ideas home and discuss and implement them together.
"That helps in making change work," Lavern says. One of the organizations that this couple has been very involved with for more than a decade is the South Dakota Grassland Coalition. Lavern says they have taken the group's motto about range management to heart: "Utilize what you have and manage for what you want."
• Second, this duo says you've got to have an idea of what you want, but you've also got to be flexible and willing to change. They found this is especially true in managing drought and other factors — like market prices — that you have little control over. "The key is to be able to be flexible in your management," says Lavern.
• Working with Mother Nature instead of against is another important lesson. For the Kochs, this has meant a shift to calving in April and May instead of March.
"No wildlife have their young in the winter, so we need to mimic Mother Nature," Lavern says. The couple has also planted all of their farm ground back to grass and legumes and has cross-fenced pastures so that rotational grazing can be utilized. They are now focused on grazing more and reducing the number of days that hay is fed in the winter.
"Our goal is to get as close as possible to year-round grazing," says Lavern.
• Plan your grazing system. One cardinal rule the Kochs have is that the cows do not graze the same pasture at the same time each year. For instance, the first pasture the cattle graze in the spring will not be the first pasture grazed the following spring.
"Sue matches the moves up so that the cattle can easily be near the home place for spring branding, fall marketing and when we have the kids around to help," Lavern adds.
The couple also likes to move the herd later in the day. Lavern explains, "We have several pastures with alfalfa, and we've found that we have less problems with bloat if we move them later in the day."
• Continue to learn. Sue and Lavern are advocates of participating in grazing workshops and meetings and pasture walks.
"You always come away with something you can learn, and those are great opportunities to network with others," notes Lavern. Recently, Sue and Lavern's quest for continued learning took them to Argentina and Brazil with a group from South Dakota State University last winter. "It proved to us what a world market we are in."
• Most importantly, what you do on the ranch also has to be enjoyable, Sue emphasizes. "It's been a really good life, and we've had a lot of fun. That's important, too. You can't take anything too seriously."
