Rangeland Ecology & Management

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LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT FOR COEXISTENCE WITH LARGE CARNIVORES, HEALTHY LAND AND PRODUCTIVE RANCHES
Author
Barnes, Matt
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2015
Body

Ranchers can apply many of the same approaches that work for rangeland health and livestock production to reduce conflicts with large carnivores. Evidence synthesized from the rangeland, wildlife, and animal sciences suggests that modeling livestock management after the grazing patterns and reproductive cycles of wild ungulates in the presence of their predators can improve rangeland health and livestock production—and increase the ability of ranching operations to coexist with native carnivores. The central anti-predator behavior of wild grazing animals is to form large, dense herds that then move around the landscape to seek fresh forage, avoid fouled areas, and escape predators. Strategic grazing management involving high stocking density and frequent movement, such as rotational grazing and herding with low-stress livestock handling, can—if well planned and creatively managed— improve rangeland health and livestock production, by managing the distribution of grazing across time, space, and plant species. Wild herbivores also have their young in short, synchronized birthing seasons (predator satiation). Short calving seasons can increase livestock production and reduce labor inputs, especially when timed to coincide with peak availability of forage quality. Such livestock management approaches based on anti-predator behaviors of wild ungulates may directly and synergistically reduce predation risk—while simultaneously establishing a management context in which other predation-prevention practices and tools can be used more effectively.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Sacramento, CA