Progress 06/01/23 to 05/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for this project are rangeland ecologists, livestock producers, and land managers in the Colorado Plateau and elsewhere in the Intermountain West. Efforts to reach target audiences include provision of reports, and discussions and presentations of data during meetings with target audiences. We generated and shared data that will support best practices with respect to using Criollo cattle on Colorado Plateau landscapes. We generated data that will be used to determine the pros and cons of Criollo cattle for beef production and their environmental impacts Changes/Problems:PI Matt Garcia moved from USU to Texas Christian University but remains involved in the project. We have added the collaring of 10 Criollo-Red Angus hybrid to the study. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided professional valuable STEM development training to one PhD student, as well as field data collection experience for two undergraduate students. The PhD students is leading data collection and assisting with all aspects of project management. The PhD student also attended the annual science committee meeting for the Canyonlands Research Center in September 2023 and the annual meeting for The Society for Range Management in February 2024. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In September 2023, preliminary findings and project background were presented by the PhD student to graduate students in Utah State University's Climate Adaptation Science fellowship program. Preliminary results were presented by the PhD student at The Society for Range Management in Sparks, NV in February 2024. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Continue GPS tracking of cattle and analyses of movement and landscape use patterns. Objective 2: Repeat spring and summer field sampling, as well as dietary and forage nutritional analyses. Begin remote sensing work for calculations of landscape forage availability. Objective 3: Collect data on pregnancy rates and continue to collect weight and body condition score data.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Compare landscape use patterns between Raramuri Criollo, a heritage breed, and Red Angus, a standard breed for the Colorado Plateau A total of 24 Criollo and 21 Red Angus cows were outfitted with GPS collars throughout the reporting period. We outfitted an additional 10 Criollo X Red Angus hybrid cows during the same period. In fall and winter 2023-2024, seasonal differences in movement patterns of Criollo and Red Angus cattle were examined. The results of these analyses suggest that Criollo cows explore a larger area and spend more time grazing and less time resting than Angus cows in the dormant season (late fall and winter). In the growing season (early spring), these breed differences seem to be negligible. To investigate the role of heat tolerance in shaping landscape use patterns of Criollo and Red Angus cows, 10 black-bulb temperature sensors were systematically rotated through 50 locations across the Indian Creek pastures to record microclimate effects of woody vegetation cover, slope, aspect, and distance to riparian areas. Objective 2: Assess the impacts of Raramuri Criollo vs. Red Angus on outputs of provisioning services (forage provision), regulating services (erosion prevention), and supporting services (soil formation/stabilization) Field monitoring expanded from forty-eight plots in one experimental pasture to sixty-eight plots across all pastures in Indian Creek. These plots encompass a spectrum of use-intensity by Criollo and Red Angus cows. Cattle spent approximately four to eight weeks in each pasture from November 2023 through May 2024. In April 2024, immediately following the herd's departure from Creek Pasture, field data were collected on phenology and forage utilization. Additional field data collection took place in May and June 2024 across all sites to assess plant community composition, biocrusts, soil stability, and wildlife/cattle use. Upon entry into the Indian Creek pastures in November 2023, fecal grab samples for 21 Red Angus, 23 Criollo, and 9 hybrid cows were collected and stored for DNA analysis of dietary composition and forage nutritional analysis. Fecal samples were again collected and stored for 19 Red Angus, 19 Criollo, and 8 hybrid cows in January 2024 when the herd was moved from one pasture to another. Upon exit from the Indian Creek pastures in April 2024, fecal samples were collected and stored for 20 Red Angus, 21 Criollo, and 8 hybrid cows. Objective 3: Contrast the compatibility of Raramuri Criollo vs. Red Angus cattle with Colorado Plateau landscapes in terms of efficiency of beef production (i.e., weaning weights, % weaned calf crop, conception rates and cow body condition score). In November 2023 and January and April 2024, cows were weighed and data on body condition scores were collected for the same individuals listed above (November 2023: 23 Criollo, 21 Red Angus, and 9 hybrid cows; January 2024: 19 Criollo,19 Red Angus, and 8 hybrid cows; April 2024: 21 Criollo, 20 Red Angus, and 8 hybrid cows).
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Progress 06/01/22 to 05/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for this project are rangeland ecologists, livestock producers, and land managers in the Colorado Plateau and elsewhere in the Intermountain West. Efforts to reach target audiences include provision of reports, and discussions and presentations of data during meetings with target audiences. Changes/Problems:Because preliminary analyses of Criollo and Red Angus GPS location data are not revealing different hotspots of spring use for the respective breeds as we had anticipated, we will forgo the installation of exclosures, as they would not provide us with information about the impacts of Criollo- or Red Angus-specific grazing. Instead, because preliminary analyses suggest that movement patterns of Criollo and Red Angus are more likely to differentiate in other pastures in different parts of the year (rather than in the spring in our original experimental pasture as anticipated), we are planning to expand our analyses of the animals' movement and space use, as well as their impacts on the health of the soil and plant communities, to the other five pastures in the annual rotation. Starting in October 2023 we intend to collect weights, body condition scores, and fecal grab samples from our 40 study animals as they move between all six pastures, rather than only when they enter and exit the original study pasture. We will collect data on plant community composition, forage utilization, biocrusts, soil stability, and wildlife/cattle use in each pasture. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided professional valuable STEM development training to two PhD students, as well as field data collection experience for two undergraduate students. One of the PhD students is leading data collection and assisting with all aspects of project management. The PhD student leading data collection attended an on-ranch demonstration led by the Sustainable Southwest Beef Climate Adaptation Project at the Corta Madera Ranch in Pine Valley, CA in May 2023 to learn about their Criollo cattle operation and applications of virtual fencing technology. The PhD student attended two conferences: A Community on Ecosystem Services in Washington, D.C. in December 2022 and The Society for Range Management in Boise, ID in February 2023. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In June 2022, preliminary findings and project background were presented to undergraduate students from Tribal backgrounds at Utah State University-Blanding as part of The Nature Conservancy's NATURE outreach program. Preliminary results were presented by the PhD student at two conferences: A Community on Ecosystem Services in Washington, D.C. in December 2022 and The Society for Range Management in Boise, ID in February 2023. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Continue GPS tracking of cattle and analyses of movement and landscape use patterns. Objective 2: Repeat spring and summer field sampling, as well as dietary and forage nutritional analyses. Begin remote sensing work for calculations of landscape forage availability. Objective 3: Collect data on pregnancy rates and continue to collect weight and body condition score data.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Compare landscape use patterns between Raramuri Criollo, a heritage breed, and Red Angus, a standard breed for the Colorado Plateau In fall and winter 2022-2023, habitat selection analyses of Criollo and Red Angus cattle continued to be developed, building off preliminary analyses built using pilot data in summer 2021. These analyses continued to indicate the importance of mineral supplement locations for livestock distribution and suggest that the space use of the two breeds was similar during the spring in the experimental pasture. A total of 19 Criollo and 19 Red Angus cows were outfitted with GPS collars throughout the reporting period. We also outfitted 9 Criollo and 9-10 Red Angus cows with pedometer from October - Dec 2022 and March-April 2023, the two time periods when they were in our experimental pasture. Objective 2: Assess the impacts of Raramuri Criollo vs. Red Angus on outputs of provisioning services (forage provision), regulating services (erosion prevention), and supporting services (soil formation/stabilization) Field monitoring continued in forty-eight plots in grassland and woody-dominated areas within the experimental pasture. Cattle were kept in the experimental pasture from late October through early December 2022 and again from late March to mid-April 2023. BLM permitting for ground-disturbing activities was completed. In October 2022 and March 2023, prior to cattle entry into the experimental pasture, and in December 2022 and May 2023, after cattle exited the pasture, field data were collected on plant community composition, forage utilization, biocrusts, soil stability, and wildlife/cattle use. Upon entry to the experimental pasture in October 2022, fecal grab samples for 17 Criollo and 18 Red Angus were collected and stored for DNA analysis of dietary composition and forage nutritional analyses. Upon exit from the experimental pasture in December 2022, grab samples for 20 Criollo and 15 Red Angus were collected and stored for the same purpose. Upon reentry to the experimental pasture in March 2023, grab samples for 17 Criollo and 16 Red Angus were collected and stored; upon exit from the pasture in April 2023, samples from 20 Criollo and 19 Red Angus were collected and stored for the same purpose. In May 2023, samples were sent to a nutrition lab for DNA analysis of dietary composition. Objective 3: Contrast the compatibility of Raramuri Criollo vs. Red Angus cattle with Colorado Plateau landscapes in terms of efficiency of beef production (i.e., weaning weights, % weaned calf crop, conception rates and cow body condition score). Upon entry to and exit from the experimental pasture in fall 2022 and spring 2023, cows were weighed and data on body condition scores of cows were collected for the same cows listed above (October 2022: 17 Criollo and 18 Red Angus, December 2022: 20 Criollo and 15 Red Angus, March 2023: 17 Criollo and 16 Red Angus, April 2023: 20 Criollo and 19 Red Angus).
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Progress 06/01/21 to 05/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for this project are rangeland ecologists, livestock producers, and land managers in the Colorado Plateau and elsewhere in the Intermountain West. Efforts to reach target audiences include provision of reports, and discussions and presentations of data during meetings with target audiences. Changes/Problems:Because preliminary analyses of Criollo and Red Angus GPS location data did not reveal different hotspots of spring use for the respective breeds as we had anticipated, we instead will locate exclosures randomly across two major ecological site types in our experimental pasture. This change has delayed the BLM permitting process, so exclosures will be installed one year later than originally planned. Because preliminary analyses suggest that movement patterns of Criollo and Red Angus are more likely to differentiate in the fall (rather than spring as we had anticipated), we are planning to put the cattle back into our experimental pasture in the fall if there if the monsoon rains lead to sufficient production of forage. Extreme drought is also impacting our study because it has reduced forage availability; as a result, this year cattle had to be removed from the experimental pasture after 2.5 weeks, rather than 2.5 months as planned. We are working with the livestock manager on alternative pasture rotations if similar drought/forage problems are encountered in future years of the project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided professional valuable STEM development training to two PhD students, as well as field data collection experience for two undergraduate students. One of the PhD students is leading data collection and assisting with all aspects of project management. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Preliminary findings and project background were presented to and shared as a two-page information sheet with livestock producers, federal and tribal land managers, scientists, and students at an On-Ranch Beef Demonstration Day at the study site. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective 1: Continue GPS tracking of cattle and begin preliminary analyses of movement and landscape use patterns. Objective 2: Upon completion of archaeological clearance and BLM permitting, build exclosures in experimental pasture. Repeat spring and summer field sampling, as well as dietary and forage nutritional analyses. Begin remote sensing work for calculations of landscape forage availability. Objective 3: Collect data on pregnancy rates and continue to collect weight and body condition score data.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
All objectives: A graduate student was recruited and hired to work on the project. Objective 1: Compare landscape use patterns between Raramuri Criollo, a heritage breed, and Red Angus, a standard breed for the Colorado Plateau In summer 2021, using previously collected pilot data, a preliminary habitat selection analysis was conducted for Criollo and Red Angus cattle; these analyses indicated the importance of mineral supplement locations for livestock movement and suggest that distributions of the two breeds were similar during the previous spring in the experimental pasture. In March 2022, 19 Criollo and 20 Red Angus cattle were fitted with GPS collars and pedometers. Data on livestock watering and supplement locations were collected. Objective 2: Assess the impacts of Raramuri Criollo vs. Red Angus on outputs of provisioning services (forage provision), regulating services (erosion prevention), and supporting services (soil formation/stabilization) Thirty-two paired (exclosure, non-exclosure) plots and an additional 16 non-exclosure plots, along with 40 alternate sites, were selected for field monitoring of grassland and woody-dominated areas within the experimental pasture. The BLM permitting process, including archaeological clearance, for those sites was initiated. In March 2022, prior to cattle entry into the experimental pasture, and in May 2022, after cattle exited the pasture, field data were collected on plant community composition, forage utilization, biocrusts, soil stability, and wildlife/cattle use. Upon entry to the experimental pasture in March 2022, grab samples for 19 Criollo and 20 Red Angus cattle were collected and stored for DNA analysis of dietary composition and forage nutritional analyses. Upon exit from the experimental pasture in April 2022, grab samples for 20 Criollo and 19 Red Angus were collected and stored for the same purpose. Objective 3: Contrast the compatibility of Raramuri Criollo vs. Red Angus cattle with Colorado Plateau landscapes in terms of efficiency of beef production (i.e., weaning weights, % weaned calf crop, conception rates and cow body condition score). Upon entry to the experimental pasture in March 2022, cows were weighed and data on body condition scores of cows were collected for 19 Criollo and 20 Red Angus cattle (20 Criollo and 19 Red Angus upon exit from the experimental pasture).
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