The primary focus of Cornerstone Grazing is forage management and working with nature to maximize the operation’s profitability. A combination of rest rotation and managed intensive grazing, (Derek calls it Intensively Managed Grazing), has increased plant density and variety while also increasing stocking rate.
Go here to listen to Derek talk more about their grazing operation.
Currently, the majority of the ranch’s rangeland is Sandhills pasture with 10 percent in sub-irrigated meadows. Half of the livestock run on Cornerstone Grazing land are cow-calf pairs, calving in May when the forage is at its peak. Yearlings and custom grazing balance out the second half of the stocking rate.
With this three-pronged approach in livestock production, the Schwanebecks have a fluid stocking rate that can easily be increased or decreased to match nature’s growth patterns as well as extreme weather and market fluctuations. For example, in a drought year, stocking rate can be reduced by half without culling the cowherd.
Another advantage to grazing the Sandhills is its location above the Ogallala Aquifer. The abundance of water and easy access to it has allowed Derek and Lesa to put in pipelines and water tanks to complement their grazing system.
With managed intensive grazing, working with nature, and maintaining a fluid stocking rate, Cornerstone Grazing has the flexibility to move in several directions when the situation demands. Having that ability plays a significant role in running a profitable operation.