Profitable Livestock Production (Catron County)

Short-term
• Increased awareness of novel management practices and knowledge of current issues for more than 10% of New Mexico livestock producers through educational programs, direct communications, and popular press publications.
• Increased the number of producers using technology to evaluate production and financial aspects of cow-calf enterprises through participation in a Standardized performance analysis workshop.
• More than 90% of attendees surveyed at educational workshops perceive the monetary value of education gained exceeded the cost of attendance.

Medium term
• Improve decision-making skills of more than 500 livestock producers and county Extension agents through educational programs and seminars such that they are more confident in livestock management.

Long Term
• Improved knowledge level of county Extension agents regarding management of sheep and beef cattle through in-service trainings in the area of Range Nutrition and Management.

Long term beef cattle improvement in Catron County has focused on the use of artificial insemination (AI). This year 60 first calf heifers were AIed. The long term goal of the program is to show the use of AI as on alternative management strategy on first calf heifers. The results of this program have shown that AI can reduce calving problems on first calf heifers as well as improve overall quality and marketability of the cow herd. As a result of this long term program I receive more request each year from producers looking to implement the use of AI in their herds. AI is not always the best choice for a given ranch. In these cases I have worked with the producer to develop a plan to implement high quality sires into their herds in an attempt duplicate many of the results we have show with AI.

Long term beef cattle improvement in Catron County has focused on the use of artificial insemination (AI). This year 60 first calf heifers were AIed. The long term goal of the program is to show the use of AI as on alternative management strategy on first calf heifers. The results of this program have shown that AI can reduce calving problems on first calf heifers as well as improve overall quality and marketability of the cow herd. As a result of this long term program I receive more request each year from producers looking to implement the use of AI in their herds. AI is not always the best choice for a given ranch. In these cases I have worked with the producer to develop a plan to implement high quality sires into their herds in an attempt duplicate many of the results we have show with AI.

Catron Counties livestock production is tied to public land grazing. The reintroduction of the Mexican Grey Wolf by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has had a significant impact on the the profitability of Catron County livestock producers. In an effort to help livestock producers be more profitable I have tried to develop alternative management strategies to deal with wolf depredations on livestock. Several of the most severely impacted ranchers are seeing as much as a %50 reduction in their calf crops. To date we have been unsuccessful in developing management options to reduce depredation on calves. Other efforts have focused on the bureaucratic side of this issue. The county has declared a state of emergency and I have worked with the Farm Service Agency to try to develop a farm program to address the depredation issue. Other work has been done to educate Catron County residents on their legal rights as they relate to the wolf. This is an on going project if problems associated with the Mexican Grey Wolf continue to increase as the population grows as they would be expected to Catron Counties livestock producers face the very real chance of being forced out of business.

Tracy Drummond has signed on to support Profitable Livestock Production within Catron County.