A Chesley veterinarian and livestock and cash crop farmer is the winner of the 2015 Ontario Pasture Award.
The award was presented to Dr. Peter Kotzeff at the Beef Farmers Of Ontario Annual General Meeting in Toronto.
Dr. Kotzeff was recognized for his environmental and pasture improvements and management. He operates an intensive grazing system where he grazes individual paddocks or strip grazes for three to five days with a 40-45 day rest period. Water is provided to each paddock with a variety of systems sourced from ponds and well water.
In 2014, Dr. Kotzeff pastured 69 cow-calf pairs and 330 yearling steers. The cows calved unsupervised in late April and May in sheltered glade paddocks.
In early October, the cows were moved to farms with a cover crop and the calves were weaned by leaving them at the pasture.
"The sheltered paddocks and good quality pastures on my intensive rotational grazing system, and an ample supply of fresh water at each paddock played a major role with a 100 percent weaning rate and a 97 percent conception rate in the fall off 2014,” says Dr. Kotzeff.
Lawrence Levesque, District Sales Manager, Western Ontario with Mapleseed, comments that the use of cover crops and the pasture management program utilized on Dr. Kotzeff’s farm is a model that makes greater use of pasture resources.
The sponsors of the Ontario Pasture Award are the Beef Farmers of Ontario, Mapleseed and the Ontario Forage Council.
The deadline for applications for the 2016 Ontario Pasture Award is November 30, 2015.
