173. Managing 8,000 Acres with Planned Migratory Grazing with Riki Kremers

Riki Kremers joins us from Kremers Ranch in Lance Creek, Wyoming, where she and her family manage 8,000 acres of rough, arid country with Angus-cross cattle, horses, and meat goats. Together with her husband and daughter, Riki has transitioned their operation from traditional set-stock grazing to a powerful combination of Instinctive Migratory Grazing (IMG) and Planned Migratory Grazing (PMG), doubling their stocking rate and reducing feed inputs. With over 20 miles of water pipeline and an impressive track record of adapting to extreme environments, Riki shares hard-earned lessons on stockmanship, infrastructure, and letting nature lead the way.

 
Topics Covered

• History and evolution of Kremers Ranch
• Transition from February to June calving
• Building water infrastructure and pasture layout
• Challenges with temporary fencing in brittle environments
• Transitioning to IMG and how it rebooted herd behavior
• Role of stockmanship and learning from Bob Kin and Ian Mitchell-Innes
• Managing yearlings separately for summer and winter forage balance
• Creating and using "insurance pastures"
• Shifts in forage species and pasture recovery times
• Integrating horses and four-wheelers into cattle management

Why You Should Listen

If you're grazing in a brittle or arid environment—or frustrated with conventional rotational systems—Riki’s experience will resonate. She candidly walks us through her family’s grazing journey, showing how thoughtful stockmanship and intentional planning can unlock natural herd behavior and healthier land. Whether you’re looking to reduce feed, improve forage diversity, or double your stocking rate without burning out your pastures, this episode offers actionable wisdom grounded in real-world success.

Resources Mentioned

• Instinctive Migratory Grazing School
• Riki Kremers on Facebook
• Bob Kinford on the Grazing Grass Podcast
• Bob Kinford – Instinctive Migratory Grazing

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Chapters

• (00:00) - Introduction and Fast Five with Riki Kramer
• (01:26) - History and Evolution of Kramer's Ranch
• (02:07) - Grazing Techniques and Challenges
• (04:57) - Record Keeping and Ranch Management
• (09:20) - Transition to Instinctive Migratory Grazing (IMG)
• (18:08) - Implementing and Refining IMG
• (33:07) - Stockmanship and Herd Behavior
• (40:26) - Understanding Animal Communication
• (40:38) - Four-Wheeler vs. Horseback Communication
• (42:00) - Benefits of IMG Grazing in Arid Environments
• (43:12) - Forage Quality and Species Changes
• (45:14) - Managing Cow Herds and Yearlings
• (50:50) - Insurance Pastures: A Safety Net for Grazing
• (56:10) - Upcoming Grazing School Details
• (01:03:42) - Famous Four Questions
• (01:14:56) - Conclusion and Takeaways