Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Optimum Stocking Rate, Monitoring, and Flexibility: Key Components of Successful Grazing Management Programs
Author
Ortega-S., J. Alfanso
Lukefahr, Steven D.
Bryant, Fred C.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2013-10-01
Body

On the Ground • This case study demonstrates the importance of adaptive management to the resilience of a ranch. • With a combination of strategic livestock and grazing management, especially adjusting the stocking rate to variability in forage production, we were able to increase the grazing capacity and the profitability of the ranch, even during drought. • The major concern during the drought should not be the productivity or profitability of the ranch, but rather the integrity of the plant communities and the herd in order to re-establish the production cycle following the severe drought. • Managing flexible grazing management programs with proper monitoring of weather, forage standing crop, cattle condition, and markets to make informed and timely decisions largely determines the resilience and profitability of the operation. The Rangelands archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform March 2020

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2111/RANGELANDS-D-13-00021.1
Additional Information
Ortega-S., J. A., Lukefahr, S. D., & Bryant, F. C. (2013). Optimum stocking rate, monitoring, and flexibility: Key components of successful grazing management programs. Rangelands, 35(5), 22-27.
IISN
0190-0528
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/639976
Journal Volume
35
Journal Number
5
Journal Pages
22-27
Collection
Journal Name
Rangelands
Keywords
grazing management
ranch profitability
optimum stocking rate
flexible grazing
monitoring
  • Practical, non-technical peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol 1, 1979 up to 3 years from the current year. More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.