Managed Grazing Innovation Center (MGIC)

Managed Grazing Innovation Center

Practical Information You Can Use

Managed Grazing Innovation Center provides high quality education on managed grazing production systems,
farm business management, and conservation stewardship in an online format.

Earn a Managed Grazing Dairy Certificate

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Course List

Dairy Cattle Nutrition, Feeds, and Feeding

Students will gain an understanding ofthe life cycle feeding and nutrition needs for grazing dairy cattle. They will acquire an understanding of nutrition requirements and providing optimal diets at each point in the life cycle of milking cows, replacements and breeding bulls. They will learn to develop a whole herd feed and forage needs and plan.

Milk Quality

This course provides students with an understanding of producing quality milk. Students will be introduced to parts of a milking system and components, milking procedures, udder anatomy, mastitis and somatic cell count.

Farm Business Management

This course introduces students to business planning techniques, record-keeping practices and tools that can help chart progress toward personal and business goals. Students will also develop basic farm business financial statements. DGA is an approved vendor for Farm Services Agency (FSA) Financial Management Training Program.

Soil and Water Resources Management

Functional soil is the foundation of a grazing dairy system. Students will develop an understanding of soil health and how organic matter, micro-organisms, and nutrient cycling build a healthy soil. They will learn about soil testing, nutrient needs and water resources and management.

Dairy Cattle Health and Wellness

Students will gain an understanding of the life cycle health and wellness needs grazing dairy cattle. They will learn animal health procedures and techniques needed for the dairy farm, create a whole herd health plan, and gain a critical understanding and recognition of disease concerns and prevention at each point in the life cycle of milking cows, replacements and breeding bulls.

Managed Grazing Systems for Dairy Cattle

Students will be introduced to the various aspects of designing and managing a dairy grazing system for optimal animal and pasture performance. They will develop a grazing plan that meets both the summer and winter feeding needs.

About Managed Grazing Innovation Center

Managed Grazing Innovation Center (MGIC) is an online school that is open to everyone and does not require participation in the Apprenticeship. Classes are intended to enhance the knowledge base of students, and are designed for planning purposes as well as for practical application on working farms. Students may take individual classes and/or complete all six within five years to earn a Managed Grazing Dairy Certificate. MGIC classes are one credit (36 hours) and cost $250 each.

MGIC was developed with funding support from a 2017 Educational Enhancement Team grant from USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and a 2021 grant from OPPE-USDA Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers (The 2501 Program).


MGIC 2024-25 Academic Calendar

FALL Semester 2024
September 9 · Fall registration opens
September 23 · Classes begin
December 13 · End of Fall Term

SPRING Semester 2025
January 6 · Spring registration opens
January 13 · Classes begin
April 4 · End of Spring Term

SUMMER Session 2025
June 23 · Summer registration opens
July 7 · Classes begin
August 15 · End of Summer Term

FALL Semester 2025
September 8 · Fall registration opens
September 22 · Classes begin
December 12 · End of Fall Term

Spring registration opens January 6, 2025. Create an account to be ready.

If you already have a DGA account, you can Sign In to enroll in MGIC classes.

If you are new to DGA, please Create an Account in the DGA website first.

Questions? Contact mgic@dga-national.org

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“I'm really enjoying the assignments. Thanks so much for making them practical to apply to day to day dairy work!”

- Leo Arnold
Dairy Cattle Health and Wellness

“The courses connected directly to what I was doing on the farm and really helped me understand the 'why' for our protocol and procedures.”

- RoseAnn Keesling
Dairy Nutrition, Feeds, and Feeding
Milk Quality

“I've observed how different grazing practices appear to impact soil structure and the regrowth rate of pasture. But drilling down to what soil health really means on a molecular and micro-biological level has added a whole new layer of complexity.”

- Kate Sabino
Soil and Water Resources Management

“I am glad to have taken this course; I look forward to taking other courses in the near future.”

- Michael Monthey
Dairy Cattle Nutrition, Feeds, and Feeding


Meet the Instructors


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