194. Grazing Smarter in North Dakota with Fourth Generation Rancher Shane Maddock

In this episode, Cal visits with Shane Maddock, a fourth-generation rancher from north-central North Dakota, where cattle country meets farm country. Shane shares the story of building a regenerative operation through drought, grazing challenges, and generations of learning. He discusses taking over a neighbor’s ranch after returning from National Guard service, developing cross-fenced paddocks and a positive/negative electric system, managing water in the Prairie Pothole Region, and adjusting his grazing philosophy from “a third, a third, a third” to adaptive management guided by what the grass and cattle tell him.Topics coveredGrowing up on a holistic-management ranch and learning from his fatherLeasing cattle and structuring multi-year cow leasesDesigning high-tensile fencing and pos/neg wiring for sandy soilsTransitioning from mild rotation to intensive adaptive grazingManaging drought risk with insurance pastures and flexible enterprisesUsing Rio Max minerals and observing dramatic feed-efficiency gainsCalving-date adjustments and hybrid-vigor breeding decisionsFounding Maddock Ranch Supply and serving the communityHis father receiving North Dakota’s Leopold Conservation Award If you’ve ever wondered how to keep cows productive through seven drought years out of eleven—or how to balance generational wisdom with modern regenerative ideas—Shane’s story delivers practical lessons on adaptation, family teamwork, and faith in the land’s resilience.Resources mentionedMaddock Ranch maddockranch.comMaddock Ranch Supply  maddockranchsupply.comMan, Cattle and Veld – Johan ZietsmanGrass-Fed Cattle – Julius RuechelHolistic Management – Allan SavoryDirt to Soil – Gabe BrownNorth Dakota Grazing Lands Coalition Mentorship ProgramRio Max Minerals - riomax.netLooking for Livestock that thrive on grass?  Check out Grass Based GeneticsVisit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond Agriculture.Grazing Grass LinksNew Listener Resource GuideProvide feedback for the podcastWebsiteInsidersResourcesCommunity (on Facebook)Check out the Apiary Chronicles PodcastOriginal Music by Louis Palfrey Looking for grass-based breeders? Explore the Grass Based Genetics directory.Visit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmond Agriculture Grassroots CarbonGrazing Grass LinksWebsiteCommunity (on Facebook)Original Music by Louis Palfrey