Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.
Applied Reproductive Management for Cattle (Rio Arriba County)
Plan Goals
Alert and provide livestock producers in Rio Arriba County an opportunity to learn skills that will improve the reproductive performance and efficiency in their beef cattle.
- Owner
- Related Plans
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Applied Reproductive Management for Cattle
Impact Reports
2010-2011 Program Year
Due to drought this year the agent coordinated, assisted and facilitated three drought related meetings over the course of the 2011 year. The first of the series was to address spring turn out onto USFS and BLM properties. A series of planning meetings were held with US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), NM Game and Fish, Farm Service Agency (FSA), Extension Northern District Director, Santa Fe County Extension Director along with some grazing premittees. The meetings were designed to address management decisions during drought. The US Forest Service and BLM would addressed their methods for determining grazing season terms and stocking rate, while NMSU Extension addressed management of livestock during drought. Meetings were not well attended. Although content of the meetings were excellent as a US Forest Service employee stated “I didn’t know that early weaning had so much impact on cow performance during drought”. The third and fall meeting addressed information relating of FSA’s non-insurable crop insurance (NAP) that would pay producers in times of disaster. Since the entire state was declared a drought disaster producers who had bought NAP insurance and those that had not were eligible to receive disaster relief dollars. There was deadline of September 30th for producers to meet. In addition other FSA programs were also introduced since the audience varied.
Once again the agent was involved in the Ghost Ranch and Cerro Azul grazing land assessment for winter grazing. The drought had a big influence on forage production 2011. Both range lands will have reductions in stock numbers. Ghost Ranch is looking at least a 50% reduction in numbers and possibly time. Cerro Azul is estimating 20 % reduction and shorting in time of grazing in late winter early spring. Over all Rio Arriba County was not as severely impacted by drought as the rest of the state. Weather was a little more abundant in the county than the rest of the state; however there was some sell off of some stock.
Due to drought this year the agent coordinated, assisted and facilitated three drought related meetings over the course of the 2011 year. The first of the series was to address spring turn out onto USFS and BLM properties. A series of planning meetings were held with US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), NM Game and Fish, Farm Service Agency (FSA), Extension Northern District Director, Santa Fe County Extension Director along with some grazing premittees. The meetings were designed to address management decisions during drought. The US Forest Service and BLM would addressed their methods for determining grazing season terms and stocking rate, while NMSU Extension addressed management of livestock during drought. Meetings were not well attended. Although content of the meetings were excellent as a US Forest Service employee stated “I didn’t know that early weaning had so much impact on cow performance during drought”. The third and fall meeting addressed information relating of FSA’s non-insurable crop insurance (NAP) that would pay producers in times of disaster. Since the entire state was declared a drought disaster producers who had bought NAP insurance and those that had not were eligible to receive disaster relief dollars. There was deadline of September 30th for producers to meet. In addition other FSA programs were also introduced since the audience varied.
Once again the agent was involved in the Ghost Ranch and Cerro Azul grazing land assessment for winter grazing. The drought had a big influence on forage production 2011. Both range lands will have reductions in stock numbers. Ghost Ranch is looking at least a 50% reduction in numbers and possibly time. Cerro Azul is estimating 20 % reduction and shorting in time of grazing in late winter early spring. Over all Rio Arriba County was not as severely impacted by drought as the rest of the state. Weather was a little more abundant in the county than the rest of the state; however there was some sell off of some stock.
2009-2010 Program Year
Once again the agent assisted with monitoring ranges on Ghost Ranch, Jarita Mesa and Cerro Azul. Ghost Ranch and Cerro Azul are both winter ranges consisting of 22,000 aces each. The Jarita Mesa range is a spring through fall range comprising of approximately 51,000 acres. As for Jarita Mesa the ten year Environmental Assessment (EA) permit renewal for livestock grazing is in its final comment period. Livestock numbers have been reduced from 581 cow calf pairs to 471 cow calf pairs. Feral horses continue to be an issue on this range. The Forest Service states that they will manage the number of horses in order to be compliant with management in future years.
The Ghost Ranch and the Cerro Azul both received an average amount of precipitation for the year. However, precipitation was spotty and not all of the pastures and stock tanks received enough precipitation to make it a great forage production year. For the most part Ghost Ranch and the Cerro Azul will have enough forage to supply livestock at the current stocking rate to make it through the winter grazing months. Due to the availability of adequate forage supply to pregnant cows it should be another good calf crop for the coming year.
Once again the agent assisted with monitoring ranges on Ghost Ranch, Jarita Mesa and Cerro Azul. Ghost Ranch and Cerro Azul are both winter ranges consisting of 22,000 aces each. The Jarita Mesa range is a spring through fall range comprising of approximately 51,000 acres. As for Jarita Mesa the ten year Environmental Assessment (EA) permit renewal for livestock grazing is in its final comment period. Livestock numbers have been reduced from 581 cow calf pairs to 471 cow calf pairs. Feral horses continue to be an issue on this range. The Forest Service states that they will manage the number of horses in order to be compliant with management in future years.
The Ghost Ranch and the Cerro Azul both received an average amount of precipitation for the year. However, precipitation was spotty and not all of the pastures and stock tanks received enough precipitation to make it a great forage production year. For the most part Ghost Ranch and the Cerro Azul will have enough forage to supply livestock at the current stocking rate to make it through the winter grazing months. Due to the availability of adequate forage supply to pregnant cows it should be another good calf crop for the coming year.
2008-2009 Program Year
Range monitoring continues on three different ranges. Ghost Ranch is privately owned by the Presbyterian Church while Cerro Azul and Jarita Mesa are on USFS lands. The Agent assists land mangers with making assessments on how many to stock. Over the past few years these ranges have been assessed to manage for forage supply and demand. Since these ranges change from year to year an assessment gives the range managers option on systems to implement for the year. Drought in the past ten years has drastically changed the methods that range managers used in order to manage forage supply and demand. Winter grazing has assisted producers with feeding less or no harvested hay. The implications of having enough feed during critical periods of gestation in a beef cow herd are profound. Nutrition is especially important during the third trimester of pregnancy. Having adequate feed will lead to increased reproductive efficiency.
As for the Ghost Ranch winter range, it was stock heavily with up to 900 head for a short time. Ghost Ranch is on a high intensity, short duration stocking rate. Livestock preformed adequately for the time period that they were on the Ghost Ranch property. As for the Cerro Azul winter grazing allotment it was stocked to capacity. The forage supply met the forage demand of the livestock.
Range monitoring continues on three different ranges. Ghost Ranch is privately owned by the Presbyterian Church while Cerro Azul and Jarita Mesa are on USFS lands. The Agent assists land mangers with making assessments on how many to stock. Over the past few years these ranges have been assessed to manage for forage supply and demand. Since these ranges change from year to year an assessment gives the range managers option on systems to implement for the year. Drought in the past ten years has drastically changed the methods that range managers used in order to manage forage supply and demand. Winter grazing has assisted producers with feeding less or no harvested hay. The implications of having enough feed during critical periods of gestation in a beef cow herd are profound. Nutrition is especially important during the third trimester of pregnancy. Having adequate feed will lead to increased reproductive efficiency.
As for the Ghost Ranch winter range, it was stock heavily with up to 900 head for a short time. Ghost Ranch is on a high intensity, short duration stocking rate. Livestock preformed adequately for the time period that they were on the Ghost Ranch property. As for the Cerro Azul winter grazing allotment it was stocked to capacity. The forage supply met the forage demand of the livestock.
2007-2008 Program Year
Valle Caldera Grazing Proposal
Between the current Extension Northern District Director and the retired Northern District Extension Director and former Valle Caldera Board member, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Rio Arriba County Agents a proposal was submitted to the Valle Caldera Board to formulate an organization that would oversee the management of bringing in cattle from the surrounding areas around the Valle Caldera. Two other proposals were also submitted, one by the Wild Earth Guardians an environmental group and an artist cowboy out of Las Vegas NM. The Wild Earth Guardians offered to give $30,000.00, to the organization so that cattle wouldn’t graze there at all. The Wild Earth Guardians proposal was declined. The Extension proposal was also declined. The successful proposal went to the Las Vegas Cowboy artist who offered much more revenue than the Extension proposal or the Wild Earth Guardians. One of the proposals criteria was that significant weight would be given to the proposals that generated the most revenue for the Valle Caldera Board.
Valle Caldera Grazing Proposal
Between the current Extension Northern District Director and the retired Northern District Extension Director and former Valle Caldera Board member, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Rio Arriba County Agents a proposal was submitted to the Valle Caldera Board to formulate an organization that would oversee the management of bringing in cattle from the surrounding areas around the Valle Caldera. Two other proposals were also submitted, one by the Wild Earth Guardians an environmental group and an artist cowboy out of Las Vegas NM. The Wild Earth Guardians offered to give $30,000.00, to the organization so that cattle wouldn’t graze there at all. The Wild Earth Guardians proposal was declined. The Extension proposal was also declined. The successful proposal went to the Las Vegas Cowboy artist who offered much more revenue than the Extension proposal or the Wild Earth Guardians. One of the proposals criteria was that significant weight would be given to the proposals that generated the most revenue for the Valle Caldera Board.
2007-2008 Program Year
Range monitoring continues on three different ranges. Ghost Ranch is privately owned by the Presbyterian Church while Cerro Azul and Jarita Mesa are on USFS lands. Over the past few years these ranges have been assessed to manage for forage supply and demand. Since these ranges change from year to year an assessment gives the range managers option on systems to implement for the year. Drought in the past ten years has drastically changed the methods that range managers used in order to manage forage supply and demand.
The Range Improvement Task Force (RITF) has been intricately involved in the Jarita Mesa range analysis since wild horses have been part of the mix of herbivores that graze on land year round. Conflict has existed since the horses have taken advantage of forage resources year round with no management by the USFS. In the past two years approximately 100 out 170 have been removed. Prelimary indications show that range conditions are improving. Additional precipitation has obviously helped.
As for the Ghost Ranch winter range, it was stock heavily with up to 900 head for a short time. Ghost Ranch is on a high intensity, short duration stocking rate. Livestock preformed adequately for the time period that they were on the Ghost Ranch property. As for the Cerro Azul winter grazing allotment it was stocked to capacity. The forage supply met the forage demand of the livestock. Winter grazing has assisted producers with feeding less or no harvested hay. The implications of having enough feed during critical periods of gestation in a beef cow herd are profound. Nutrition is especially important during the third trimester of pregnancy. Having adequate feed will lead to increased reproductive efficiency.
Range monitoring continues on three different ranges. Ghost Ranch is privately owned by the Presbyterian Church while Cerro Azul and Jarita Mesa are on USFS lands. Over the past few years these ranges have been assessed to manage for forage supply and demand. Since these ranges change from year to year an assessment gives the range managers option on systems to implement for the year. Drought in the past ten years has drastically changed the methods that range managers used in order to manage forage supply and demand.
The Range Improvement Task Force (RITF) has been intricately involved in the Jarita Mesa range analysis since wild horses have been part of the mix of herbivores that graze on land year round. Conflict has existed since the horses have taken advantage of forage resources year round with no management by the USFS. In the past two years approximately 100 out 170 have been removed. Prelimary indications show that range conditions are improving. Additional precipitation has obviously helped.
As for the Ghost Ranch winter range, it was stock heavily with up to 900 head for a short time. Ghost Ranch is on a high intensity, short duration stocking rate. Livestock preformed adequately for the time period that they were on the Ghost Ranch property. As for the Cerro Azul winter grazing allotment it was stocked to capacity. The forage supply met the forage demand of the livestock. Winter grazing has assisted producers with feeding less or no harvested hay. The implications of having enough feed during critical periods of gestation in a beef cow herd are profound. Nutrition is especially important during the third trimester of pregnancy. Having adequate feed will lead to increased reproductive efficiency.