200. Starting a Grazing System with Limited Time and Budget with Adam Daugherty

Adam Daugherty joins us from southern Indiana to share the story of how a few cows, some encouragement from family, and a willingness to try rotational grazing transformed his operation. Adam talks through the early days of partnering with his grandfather and great-aunt, the moment rotational grazing finally “clicked,” and how semi-permanent fencing, flexible water systems, and strategic winter feeding have reshaped his pastures. He also walks us through his approach to genetics, cow size, docility, and marketing calves directly to a feedlot rather than selling through a barn—plus what he wishes new graziers would know before they start.

Topics Covered

• Getting started with cattle through family partnerships
• How one brother-in-law pushed him toward rotational grazing
• Using fiberglass posts and high-tensile wire as low-cost subdivision fencing
• Building water hubs, temporary pipelines, and later upgrading to buried lines
• Using a movable tank and quick-connect valves for efficient daily moves
• How rotational grazing changed pasture health, weed pressure, and animal behavior
• Managing winter feeding with concrete pads and strategic hay unrolling
• Benefits of a sacrifice paddock—and why we shouldn’t be afraid to use one
• Buying and developing genetics within the family herd
• Managing docility and safety while working a W2 job
• Their marketing system: preconditioning and selling directly to a local feedlot
• Future plans: warm-season grasses, tire-tank siphon systems, and refining genetics

Why You Should Listen

Adam exemplifies the reality for many graziers: juggling off-farm jobs, limited time, and a desire to do better with what you already have. His story is packed with practical, low-cost ideas—from fencing to water to winter feeding—that can help new and seasoned graziers rethink their systems. If you’ve ever felt too busy to start rotational grazing or unsure where to begin, Adam’s journey will show you exactly how doable it can be.

Resources Mentioned

• Local NRCS & Soil and Water offices (mapping, design, & technical support)
• Graber Farm Supply (fiberglass posts & materials)
• Purdue’s Southern Indiana research farm (SIPAC)
• Daily Manufacturing bale unroller

Looking for Livestock that thrive on grass?  Check out Grass Based Genetics

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Noble Research Institute

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Original Music by Louis Palfrey