Connecting Forage Quality and Animal Health in Rotational Grazing Systems

The Ontario Certified Crop Advisor Association (CCA) and Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) have partnered to deliver training and educational resources to Ontario agrologists. With a focus on cover crops, nitrogen management, and rotational grazing, these sessions will support the objectives of the On-Farm Climate Action Fund.

Kristen Ritson-Bennett is a ruminant nutritionist and the managing partner of Blue Rock Animal Nutrition based out of Innisfail, Alberta. Kristen has navigated her team and business through significant growth and expansion over the last decade. Blue Rock is at the forefront of the ruminant nutrition industry in nutrition consulting, client services and premix manufacturing for clients across Alberta and into the neighbouring provinces.

Kristen has been involved with and supported the provincial forage associations, Canadian Forage Industry Network, Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association, Success for Women in Agrifood and most recently a mentor the for Canadian Cattle Young Leaders mentorship. In addition to business management and a significant client portfolio on the nutrition side, Kristen and her husband have 3 children, a small purebred sheep operation and a Veterinary Clinic in Penhold, AB.

The webinar will examine how forage nutritive value shifts under rotational grazing management and directly influences rumen function and animal performance. Her presentation synthesizes current research on plant maturity, regrowth dynamics, and species composition to illustrate how grazing intervals shape nutrient density across the season. She will highlight practical approaches for integrating forage analysis into ration decisions for grazing herds, with emphasis on aligning pasture quality to class-specific nutrient requirements. The session underscores the role of adaptive grazing strategies in optimizing both forage utilization and animal productivity within forage-based systems.

Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF). This event is free to attend. To register you must answer two questions for the purpose of tracking attendance and outreach.

CEUs: 1.0 Crop Management

Connecting Forage Quality and Animal Health in Rotational Grazing Systems is an OSCIA-recognized Knowledge Sharing Event (KSE) for applicants with On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) projects in the Rotational Grazing category. The KSE is only available for the live webinar.