planned grazing - Pitchstone Waters (Page 2)

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planned grazing

A collection of 61 posts

goats_in_trees_morocco

These Hungry Goats Learned to Branch Out

At Circle Ranch we have also found that goats can be very useful as grazing tools to help maintain habitat for wildlife. NOTE: This article was originally published to NYTimes.com on June 12, 2017. Photo credit: Dave Watts/Minden Pictures No, this is not an illustration from a book

Richard Teague et al. on Benefits of Planned Grazing

"Invasion Biology"

Richard Teague et al. on Benefits of Planned Grazing

Here is peer reviewed, hard science from Texas A&M on the topic of holistic planned grazing. This paper by Texas A&M range scientists Richard Teague, Fred Provenza et al. studied the benefits of concentrated, rapidly moving cattle herds on rangeland health. Their peer-reviewed findings contradicted the

Ranches for Free: Birdwell Creek - Planned Grazing

"Invasion Biology"

Ranches for Free: Birdwell Creek - Planned Grazing

Here is a Texas example of high density planned grazing, which means the owners greatly increased cattle numbers and animal density, improving habitat and forage production. The increase in productivity per acre is like getting a ranch (or two) for free. These results directly contradict the agency-university biases against cattle

Dr. David Briske et al. Synthesis Paper

Dr. David Briske et al. Synthesis Paper

This paper was published in 2008. Texas A&M range scientist David Briske and several academic colleagues concluded that planned grazing is ineffective and has been disproved as a grazing method, and that low-density set-stocking, which means keeping fewer cattle in one place all the time, is the best

"Invasion Biology"

Allan Savory: How to Green the World's Deserts and Reverse Climate Change

Desertification is a fancy word for land that is turning to desert,” begins Allan Savory in this quietly powerful talk (now viewed by 4-million). And terrifyingly, it’s happening to about two-thirds of the world’s grasslands, accelerating climate change and causing traditional grazing societies to descend into social chaos.

circle_ranch_keyline

MDF / Lado Ranch Wildlife Water Project

In far-West Texas water additions like these are the very best, cheapest and quickest wildlife practice. Free water hurts nothing and helps everything. VIEW ON FLICKR: April 29th, 2017 – Lado Ranch near Van Horn, Texas Funded by the Mule Deer Foundation On April 29th more than 30 volunteer conservationists from

cattle_circle_ranch

Princeton University: Wildlife and Cows Can Be Partners Not Competitors in Food Search

Cattle and horses closely resemble native animals that would be the dominant large grazers in North America, but for human impact. Horses – these include donkeys or burros – and their ancestors were in our deserts for 50 million years. They disappeared 5,000 years ago and have been back for 500

Dirt First

Agricultural practices are generally viewed as different from wildlife and habitat practices, whereas both should rest on the long-term objective of increasing soil fertility. The practices described below are similar to ours at Circle Ranch, as the photos illustrate. NOTE: This article was originally published by TheFern.org on April

Cowboys Turn to High-Tech Ear Tags to Monitor Animal Health

"Invasion Biology"

Cowboys Turn to High-Tech Ear Tags to Monitor Animal Health

Small, inexpensive tracking devices embedded in ear tags that work through cellular towers instead of costly, heavy GPS devices would revolutionize grassland restoration. This would allow ranchers to track their stock on open ranges. Controlling theft, minimizing straying and limiting searches for missing animals would fundamentally improve grass-fed ranch economics.

circle_ranch_cameras_summer_2016

"Invasion Biology"

Early Summer 2016 - Game Cameras

Healthy ranges need: (1) Big nomadic grazers (bison or cows under planned grazing), (2) abundant predators and (3) lots of prey numbers and kinds. Take any one of these out and the system collapses. The systems’ need for biodiversity is a physiological fact, not a social concept. For 10-years in

Learning from Africa's Herbivores

"Invasion Biology"

Learning from Africa's Herbivores

These articles shed light on some of the basic insights of holistic management, planned grazing, and permaculture, as to the physiology of desert grasslands: * Plants need animals as much as animals need plants. * Many, many kinds of animals, from large to small, are necessary for healthy habitat. * Restoration of animal

circle_ranch_elk_feature

"Invasion Biology"

Cows and Elk - A Symbiotic Relationship

When grazed properly, cattle can be very beneficial for elk. Cattle are similar in their grazing impact to bison; bison and elk were mutually dependent for many thousands of years in North America. NOTE: originally published in HMI In Practice Newsletter May June 2013

crillo-cattle-high-country-news-feature

Animal Development

In Australia, Cowboys Use Satellites to Home In on the Range

Technology is making holistic planned grazing cheaper and easier. NOTE: Post initially appeared on WSJ.com on January 24, 2016 Ranchers saddle up satellites to track herds; water-trough weigh-ins Murray Grey has a beef with traditional ranching methods. Each year in punishing heat, Mr. Grey has mounted a horse to

Circle Ranch - Grazing the Impossible

Animal Development

Winter Grazing Report at Circle Ranch

Guy Glosson helps us with grazing planning and monitoring. He is a rancher, HMI Certified Educator, and HMI Director. Grazing Report, February 2015 I arrived late Tuesday afternoon and did not have time to look at much of the country. I went with David on Wednsday to feed the herd

soil_carbon_video_feature_circle_ranch

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Grasslands with Planned Grazing: Soil Carbon Curious

Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing (AMP grazing) is regenerating soils around the world, producing healthy grass-finished beef. But the science on AMP grazing is sparse, to say the least. Now, a group of leading soil, rangeland, bug and social scientists are setting out to fill the science gap. Led by Dr. Richard

circle_ranch_winter_heifers

Circle Ranch's New Heifers October 2015

This winter we are running 500 heifers at Circle Ranch. Here is the first bunch to arrive Circle Ranch’s New Heifers October 2015 from Christopher Gill on Vimeo.

Should Washington End Agriculture Subsidies?

Should Washington End Agriculture Subsidies?

Agricultural subsidies fundamentally disrupt the economics of farming and ranching, making both unprofitable, leading to monopolies and harming the environment. Eliminating them would be the cheapest and quickest environmental & wildlife measure possible. NOTE: post originally appeared on WSJ.com July 12, 2015 The U.S. government has been protecting

how Holistic Management is beginning to spread in Chihuahua.

"Invasion Biology"

Desert Grasslands Restoration: Manejo Holistico in Chihuahua - Las Damas Ranch

At Circle Ranch, holistic planned grazing of herds including the one above has been very beneficial to wildlife and habitat. Planned grazing is increasingly used in northern Chihuahua, as described below. NOTE: this post has been re-published with permission of the author and HMI – after originally appearing in HMI’s

Innovative Fence Idea for Planned Grazing

Innovative Fence Idea for Planned Grazing

Here is a great way to create multiple entrances into a pen, without gates. Very helpful when water is shared by multiple pastures as is so often the case in a planned grazing program. “Cowboy Bob” Kinford explains: Anyone who has ever ran more than two bulls is familiar with

circle-ranch-texas-grasslands-not-badlands

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Desert Grasslands or Creating Desert Badlands?

For 60 years, this National Park Service land has been “protected” from cattle, unintentionally accelerating its desertification. Here is a typical Big Wildlife program being pursued at Big Bend National Park to “protect” degrading habitat. (ABOVE PDF can be viewed here -> ) I don’t doubt the sincerity or

circle_ranch_jardineros_restoring_grassland

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Desert Grasslands: Circle Ranch Jardineros

When we use our Yeomans Keyline plow to subsoil and stimulate desert ranges and plants, we take pains not to plow through cholla cactus, armadillo bush, allthorn, sumac, mesquite, and other trees and shrubs. This often leaves untreated spots. These we address with animal impact from cattle, which we move

circle-ranch-out-here-video-feature

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Desert Grasslands: A Video Comparison of Cattle, Water Harvesting and Keyline as a Safer, Cheaper and Faster Alternative to Spike

Here is a well-intentioned but ill-advised project for “restoration” of desert grasslands. The Rest of The Story… BLM is spending $30 million on 500,000 acres: $60 an acre. The objective is to kill all creosote and mesquite; thereafter, the staffers propose to use fire to “maintain the landscape.” Bad

circle-ranch-keyline-plow-feature

"Invasion Biology"

Restoring Desert Grasslands: Yeomans Keyline Subsoiling Results at the Circle Ranch, August 2014

Here is a cheap, fast, environmentally-friendly alternative to range poisoning with herbicides. When combined with holistic planned grazing of cattle, and a diverse population of wild animals, this practice leads to rapid conversion of subsoil to topsoil, increases soil fertility, improves and restores water function, and, is sustainable. Beginning in

Planned Grazing Restoring Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands in Mexico

"Invasion Biology"

Planned Grazing Restoring Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands in Mexico

As you travel south from far West Texas, crossing the Rio Grande, you encounter the huge grasslands of the Northern Mexico area of the Great Chihuahuan Desert. This country is very similar to the Circle Ranch, and has experienced the same degradation from human impact that we see across the

Actually Raising Beef Is Good for the Planet

"Invasion Biology"

Actually Raising Beef Is Good for the Planet

Despite environmentalists’ worries, cattle don’t guzzle water or cause hunger—and can help fight climate change. People who advocate eating less beef often argue that producing it hurts the environment. Cattle, we are told, have an outsize ecological footprint: They guzzle water, trample plants and soils, and consume precious