Indian Range Livestock Production in the West and Southwest: Entering, Enduring and Emerging from Drought Conditions

Project Overview

SW98-036
Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 1998: $103,000.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2003
Matching Non-Federal Funds: $107,806.00
Region: Western
State: Arizona
Principal Investigator:
Robert Kattnig
University of Arizona

Annual Reports

Commodities

  • Additional Plants: native plants
  • Animals: bovine, goats, sheep

Practices

  • Animal Production: animal protection and health, free-range, grazing - multispecies, range improvement, grazing - rotational, stockpiled forages, watering systems
  • Crop Production: continuous cropping
  • Education and Training: demonstration, extension, farmer to farmer, focus group
  • Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
  • Pest Management: disease vectors

    Abstract:

    Key management decisions entering, enduring and emerging from drought are categorized into three resource areas: livestock, rangelands and financial/marketing. Successful adaptation of management principles is closely tied to cultural values. Mother Earth is the most central of values; animals, plants and people are products or gifts from Mother Earth. By restoring vigor to Mother Earth, all things can prosper. The central theme is 'Mother is tired". The focus is on reducing rangeland pressure by culling animals, maintaining quality beef production, supplementing water and nutrients when economically feasible and marketing animals to conserve financial capital.

    Project objectives:

    The overall aim of the project is to develop a drought management curricula for producers which will include multi-media educational resources, a series of educational workshops, industry tours, and demonstration projects with specific producers.

    Objective 1
    Development of a systems approach will enhance the sustainability of subsistence livestock production on arid rangelands.

    Objective 2
    Promote the sustainability of natural resources including range, water, wildlife and recreational
    opportunities.

    Objective 3
    Foster a systems approach to decision making that integrates traditional livestock production values representing wealth, a means of maintaining traditional grazing land with resource conservation and improvement goals.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.