ABSTRACT: During this presentation, participants
will learn about what comprises a feed management plan as well as the
concepts on how a feed management plan allows producers to make
improvements to water and air quality on their farm as well as it’s
potential to improve income over feed costs. This presentation will
share results of ration manipulation on select farms in Pennsylvania as
well as the potential interaction of ration adjustments to mitigate
GHGs. The presentation will also discussion financial assistant options
through NRCS programs and how nutritionists can become qualified plan
writers or Technical Service Providers (TSP).
BIO:
Dan Ludwig serves as the State Resource
Conservationist in Pennsylvania with the Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS). Dan’s role as the State Resource Conservationist is to
head the Ecological Sciences Division of PA NRCS. The Ecological
Sciences Division serves as the lead for disseminating the technical
guidance to PA NRCS field offices for conservation planning. This
includes agronomy, forestry, grazing and animal husbandry, as well as
wildlife biology. Additionally, Dan serves as the Feed Management
Specialist for NRCS in Pennsylvania which includes working with
certified nutritionists to write feed management plans that look at
reducing nutrients in livestock rations to benefit nutrient management
and water quality concerns. Before moving into the State Resource
Conservationist position, Dan was a regional grazing specialist in SE
Pennsylvania for 14 years and a Resource Conservationist for 2 years.