WERA1002: Managed Grazing Systems for the Intermountain West
Statement of Issues and Justification
Livestock production is a high-risk enterprise divided into economic risk and production risk. In recent years, the price of purchased inputs has rapidly escalated, eliminating many livestock operators and putting many more at risk of losing their businesses. Increased use of public land for recreation has brought operators into conflicts. Solving the problems of price and environmental risk involve learning to manage integrated livestock production systems for improved economic and ecological sustainability.Using grazing animals to harvest forages efficiently and at a stage of plant growth that optimizes forage nutritive value and pasture plant regrowth dates to Voisin (21). The principles set out in the early literature have been applied to economically and environmentally sustainable livestock production systems, most extensively in New Zealand (13). In the USA, much of the work that has been done has originated in the eastern or mid-western states (2, 3, 5, 14, 20) and is useful but not directly applicable by producers in the Intermountain West, where irrigation must be addressed as a sustainability issue (11, 12). The response of grazing animals also varies regionally, so the applicability of general literature (4) needs be reviewed for producers, and local resources made available (1, 22).
Many livestock producers are successfully using grazing-based systems (10, 17) but producers still weighing their options will find detailed information useful in their decision-making process (8, 15, 16). The role of the committee will be to review and comment on the best resources from other regions as well as from the Intermountain West (6) and assist producers. While there are many reasons to adopt grazing-based livestock production systems, they must be built on timely access and sound economics (7, 9, 18, 19). The committee will be a clearing house for such information.
The economic and ecological sustainability of grazing-based livestock production systems through more intensive management of forage resources directed at improving productivity and reducing purchased inputs will be addressed
Members of this committee have the expertise to formulate research and outreach efforts that can assist livestock producers to intensify management resulting in reduced cost, improved production and grazing efficiency as well as greater ecological sustainability on integrated grazing livestock operations in the Intermountain West.
This committee will address the following agricultural research, and education priorities: A. Increase the global competitiveness of the U.S. agricultural production system. In work already completed in the Intermountain West, high-quality forages have been used to profitably increase the rate of liveweight gain in beef cow-calf production systems, and reduce feed and veterinary costs in dairy production systems. Compared with season-long grazing, reducing the duration of grazing to one to two days at high stocking densities with intervening periods of pasture regrowth can more than double the harvest efficiency
B. Improve decision-making on public policy related to productivity and global competitiveness of the U.S. agricultural production system. Adoption of improved integrated livestock grazing management systems could improve the economic condition of livestock operators and their associated communities and land ecological conditions.
C. Develop, transfer, and promote the adoption of efficient and sustainable agricultural, forestry, and other resource conservation policies, programs, technologies, and practices that ensure ecosystems integrity and biodiversity. The committee includes research and professional outreach personnel involved in all aspects of managed grazing systems in the Intermountain West and the participation of stakeholders is expected.
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