Cattle as a Stewardship Tool - Testing targeted, rotational grazing for ecological benefits and economic viability on California’s Central Coast

Commodities

• Animals: bovine

Practices

• Animal Production: grazing - rotational
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
• Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity

Willow Creek Land and Cattle, LLC (WCLC), a family-owned and operated cattle grazing business, proposes to evaluate the efficacy of adaptively managed, targeted rotational grazing for ecological stewardship of California’s Mediterranean grasslands and oak woodlands. Specifically, this project will evaluate the potential of targeted grazing on both private ranches and Pinnacles National Park for (1) controlling the noxious weed, summer mustard, (2) promoting increased cover and diversity of native plants, and (3) promoting increased soil carbon. This project will build upon lesson learns and questions raised from two previous research projects: (1) a SARE-funded project led by WCLC that showed strong potential of targeted rotational grazing for promoting native species but also indicated that the results of targeted grazing varied from site to site and (2) research conducted at Pinnacles National Park that showed conventional grazing practices to be moderately successful at controlling summer mustard in the park. Building on this prior work, we will evaluate whether targeted grazing is more successful at meeting stewardship goals at Pinnacles National Park than the conventional grazing system used in the past. We also seek to better understand the factors (e.g., grazing timing and intensity or site characteristic such as soils) that may influence the effectiveness of grazing practices. To aid in land manager decision-making, we will develop a cost-benefit analysis that compares both the expense and the relative effectiveness of targeted rotational versus conventional grazing. Results from the project will be shared with ranchers, public and private land managers, and other stakeholders via stakeholder meetings, presentations, written communications, and a field demonstration event.

Objectives for this project will address the ecological, economic, and social pillars of the Western SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant Program.

Ecological:

1. Evaluate the efficacy of targeted, rotational grazing for (1) controlling summer mustard, (2) promoting increased cover and diversity of native grasses and forbs, and (3) enhancing soil carbon sequestration.
2. Determine the extent to which the effects of grazing are moderated by (1) residual dry matter, (2) grazing timing or duration, (3) stock density, or (4) site factors such as soils, canopy cover, slope, and aspect.

Economic:

1. Determine (1) the cost per acre and (2) the relative effectiveness of mustard control using rotational grazing to enable land managers to better compare different methods of weed abatement.
2. Advance knowledge and understanding of targeted, rotational grazing with cattle as a potential new business model for ranchers.

Social:

1. Foster conversation and collaboration among ranchers, public and private land managers, and other stakeholders by sharing the motivations, methods, and findings of our project through written and oral communications and a field demonstrate event.
2. Advance knowledge and understanding of targeted, rotational grazing as a tool for grassland stewardship among the many diverse stakeholders in California's rangeland ecosystems.