Ruminant Livestock Species
Ruminants are suited to eat low quality high fiber forage and are hardy animals that can live on arid land.
How are production practices adapted to the Western US?
Water optimization, soil retention, management of disturbance, and optimization of energy cycles.
What are ecological functions?
Grasses are most resistant, forbs and shrubs are intermediate, and least resistant. Graze during the growing season every third year.
Timing, duration, and intensity of use.
What can you adjust with multiple pastures?
When a lot of animals are put on pasture for a short amount of time. Lots of grazing in a short time span. Doesn't work well on arid rangelands.
Quality of life, values, tradition, history, honor, dignity, and consumer values.
What are the aspects of Social Acceptability?
Maintain or improve: plant species composition, quantity and quality of forage and water, and manage fuels.
What are some NRCS guidelines?
What does mixed species grazing do?
Pros: cheap, fewer resources needed
Cons: leads to overuse, doesn't encourage distribution
Grazing system adapted to the landscape. Multiple non-uniform pastures.
What is modified rotational grazing?
What are the aspects of Economic Sustainability?
More grazing equals fewer plants due to defoliation and reduced photosynthetic capabilities.
How do plants respond to grazing?
When you utilize animals to graze a specific plant/area for a desired outcome.
What is targeted grazing?
Rotating animals between different pastures to avoid overgrazing.
Importance of water, strategic use of supplements (effective at moving grazing distribution), genetic selection, and strategic use of herding.
What are other grazing system tools?
Plant and animal biodiversity, forage production, aesthetic value, water, and riparian values.
What are the aspects of Ecological Sustainability?
Why are roots important for plant vigor?
Common stragety to reduce reliance on harvest forage. Saving forage for later.
What is stockpiling forage?
What is rest rotation grazing?
There is no one way to graze. All dependent on animals, environment, and the amount of land.
What is the best way to graze?
What legislation has influenced ruminant production on Western lands?
6CO2 + 6H2O --> C6H12O2 + 6O2
What is the equation for photosynthesis?
Concentrate selectors (deer and moose), Intermediate types (goats, elk, bison), and Grass/roughage eaters (sheep and cows).
What are the types of grazing animals?
The order of pasture use is changed each year for grazing. Works well for plants that aren't grazing-tolerant. Preferred by the USDA.
What is deferred rotational grazing?
Wildlife.
What is a common missing component in grazing?