Strong corn prices and a need to revitalize his forage stand led Atkinson, NE, producer Gordon Dvorak to move from irrigated pasture to grain production in 2010-11. But the Atkinson, NE, farmer/ rancher says he's going back to forage in 2012 to allowhis 300-head Red Angus cow-calf pairs to gain weight faster arid keep them closer to home while utilizing fewer acres. Without the center-pivot irrigated pastures, Dvorak typically ran short of grass from mid-July through August, which is usually a dry period in his region. Under the pivot, he used a six-paddock circular design that featured an underground water system with three hydrants. Ramps lifted irrigation tires over his single-wire, high-tensile electric fence.
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