Planning and Managing to Minimize the Impact of Droughts

Transcription

1 Improving Life through Science and Technology Planning and Managing to Minimize the Impact of Droughts Holistic Management International Addison Ranch Bowie, TX 2014 Richard Teague, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Vernon

2 Overview Need to restore ecosystem function Landscape impact of continuous grazing What to aim for when managing The 4 Ecosystem processes The planning tools Using the management tools Managing adaptively for desirable results Research results Summary

3 Restore Ecosystem Function To sustain livelihoods and the delivery of ecosystem goods and services, Managers should aim to enhance the health and socio-ecological resilience of ecosystems Healthy rangelands are considerably more productive, stable and resilient than those in poorer condition

4 Importance of Ecological Condition Average Forage Production on different Range Sites, Wilbarger Co. Range Condition Range Site Bottom land Clay flat Shallow clay Lb/Acre Excellent Good Fair Poor

5 Importance of Ecological Condition 30-year NPV for different goals Initial Range Condition 30-year NPV ($ * 1000) NPV max RC maint RC Increase Excellent Good Fair Poor

6 Infiltration with Vegetation Composition Thurow 1991

7 90% of Soil function is mediated by microbes Microbes depend on plants So how we manage plants is critical

8 Indicator: Soil Temperature At 70 o F, 100% of Soil moisture is used for growth. At 100 o F, 85% of Soil moisture is lost and 15% is used for growth. At 115 o F, microbes begin to breakdown, and At 140 o F they die.

9 To improve Soil Health Improve soil microbe population by: Keeping the 4 ecosystem processes functioning Improving plant cover Perennial plants rather than annuals Manage for most productive plants Leave adequate plant residue Minimizing bare ground Grow plants for as many months each year as possible

10 Landscape impact of continuous grazing Edwards Plateau Ranch 3-D View w/ GPS Locations 1. 39% area used 2. 41% GPS points on 9% area 3. SR: 21 ac/cow 4. Effective SR: 9 ac/cow

11 Landscape impact of continuous grazing Planned multi-paddock grazing Ranch road Existing fence Electric fence Water point

12 Landscape impact of continuous grazing Planned multi-paddock grazing Animals: Graze more of the whole landscape Select a wider variety of plant species Manager can control: How much is grazed The period of grazing, and The length and time of recovery

13 Restoration using Holistic grazing Noble Foundation, Coffey Ranch Go-back field 18 paddocks + water points Managed to IMPROVE plant species

14 Restoration using multi-paddock grazing Restoration using Holistic grazing Noble Foundation, Coffey Ranch Charles Griffith, Hugh Aljoe, Russell Stevens

15 Managing for Desired Outcomes Match animal numbers to available forage Spread grazing over whole ranch Defoliate moderately in growing season Short grazing periods Adequate recovery before regrazing Graze again before forage too mature

16 Managing proactively for best results % Leaf Volume Removed % Root Growth Stoppage Range Condition Excellent Good Poor 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2-4% 50% 78% 100% 100%

17 Length of recovery periods With moderate use in the growing season: In wetter tallgrass areas (30+ inches of rain) Recovery of 45 in wetter years to 90 days in drier years In mixed grass prairie(18-25 inches of rain) Recovery of 50 in wetter years to 120 days in drier years In short grass prairie (12-15 inches of rain) Recovery of 90 in wetter years to 150 days in drier years In arid rangelands (< 15 inches of rain) Recovery of full growing season or more NB. This is only a guide NOT a recipe

18 Continuous grazing at Light stocking Over- and under-grazing side-by-side

19 Continuous grazing at Light stocking Patch selection and overgrazing

20 Planned multi-paddock grazing Richard s Ranch Jacksboro, TX 48 Paddocks grazed according to grass growth

21 Cattle are moved to a fresh paddock.

22 High-density grazing Light continuous grazing

23 Managing during drought Remember to learn from ranchers who manage successfully in much drier areas such as: Bert Madera SW New Mexico Jim Howell SW New Mexico (previously) Chris Gill Van Horn, W Texas Guy Glosson Snyder, W Texas

24 Planning is Essential Mean annual precipitation

25 The Four Ecosystem Processes 1. Energy flow - Maximize the flow of solar energy through plants and soil. 2. Water cycle - Maximize capture and cycling of water through plants and soil. Reduce export and import. 3. Mineral cycle - Maximize cycling of nutrients through plants and soil. 4. Community dynamics - High ecosystem biodiversity with more complex mixtures and combinations of desirable plant species leads to increased stability and productivity

26 Planning Process Attend ranch business consultant courses to become an expert business manager Learn from ranchers who are successful at business and conservation ranching Structure your business to remove excessive overheads and inefficiencies

27 Annual plan to cover likely contingencies At the beginning of every year consider what you will do in the event of: An average precipitation year Which paddocks need to be grazed first and which to graze last A drier than average year Which will be the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd groups of animals to go A wetter than average year Which paddocks need to be grazed first and which to not graze at all Write down your plan and file it so it is easy to access and use

28 Stocking/destocking strategies to survive drought Adjust animal numbers to available forage amount Supplement to correct for forage nutrient/quality shortfall Do NOT supplement for forage biomass shortfall Organize before hand to have a herd composition that has no more breeding animals than: 50% of herd biomass in wetter rangeland 25-30% herd biomass in semi-arid rangeland % herd biomass in arid rangeland

29 Herd management strategies to survive drought Get rid of 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd removal groups early Increase recovery periods as much as you can Combine herds Keep rotating as it: Keeps animal nutrition more constant Keeps animals looking for feed Follow your written drought plan

30 Critical monitoring to survive drought Know which are the 2 3 months that result in most forage production in your area Keep a running 12 month precipitation total to indicate early of approaching forage shortfall Estimate forage amount at: key forage planning periods, and when your 12 month precipitation total indicates you need to Monitor animal nutrition status frequently to adjust for nutritional quality shortfalls

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32 Planning Process Understand all the steps to complete a Grazing Chart growing season and dormant season plans Learn how to calculate standard animal units, animal days per acre available, stocking rate and stock density Learn what comprises under grazing, over grazing, growth rates and recovery periods Learn how to monitor, adjust and control the grazing plan

33 Influence of multi-paddock grazing on soil and vegetation Neighbouring ranches in each county: Planned heavy SR (± 10 ac/au) Continuous heavy SR (± 10 ac/au) Continuous light SR (± 20 ac/au) Grazing treatment at least 10 years

34 Continuously grazed tallgrass prairie at high SR

35 Rotationally grazed tallgrass prairie at high SR

36 Light Continuous Heavy Rotation

37 Bare ground (%) Bare Ground a b Heavy Continuous Heavy Heavy Rotation Multi-camp P = b Light Continuous

38 Soil microbes Parameter Heavy continuous Grazing Management Light continuous Multipaddock Grazing exclosure Total bacteria (g m -2 ) 82a 74a 78a 98a Total fungi (g m -2 ) 97b 98b 174a 105ab Fungi to Bacteria ratio 1.2b 1.1b 3.1a 0.7b

39 Importance of Fungi Fungi provide: Access and transport nutrients Extend root volume and depth Exude glomalin to enhance soil C Increase water and nutrient retention Increase drought resistance Plant growth highest with highest fungal-bacterial ratio Killham 1994; Leake et al. 2004; Averill et al. 2014

40 Soil carbon and Water Relationship between soil organic carbon and soil water holding capacity (0-30 cm) Change in SOC concentration Change in OC stock (kg/m 2 ) Extra water holding (litres/ha) CO 2 sequestered (t/ha) 1% , % , % , % , From Christine Jones 2006 Australia

41 Soil carbon, Nutrients and Water From north Texas, tallgrass prairie project (Teague et al. 2011) Parameter Heavy Continuous Light Continuous Multipaddock Organic Matter 3.1b 4.4b 4.86a Cation Exchange Capacity 24.6b 23.7b 27.4a Water holding (Gal/acre) 55,700 79,059 87,324

42 Biomass (kg ha -1 ) Tall Grasses a P = b b 0 Heavy Continuous Heavy Heavy Rotation Light Continuous Multi-camp

43 Biomass (kg ha -1 ) Mid Grasses P = ab a b Heavy Continuous Heavy Heavy Rotation Light Continuous Multi-camp

44 Biomass (kg ha -1 ) Annual Forbs a P = b Heavy Continuous Heavy Heavy Rotation Multi-camp b Light Continuous

45 Conclusions Successful multi-paddocks managers use: Flexible stocking to match forage availability and animal numbers Spread grazing over whole ranch Moderate grazing during growing season Short graze periods Allow recovery before regrazing Graze again before forage too mature Use multiple livestock species

46 We must focus on: Restoring Ecosystem Function To sustain livelihoods and the delivery of ecosystem goods and services, Managers should aim to enhance the health and socio-ecological resilience of ecosystems Healthy rangelands are considerably more productive, stable and resilient than those in poorer condition

47 Management Principles Plan and execute the plan Manage for what you want Manage to create where you want to be Adjust with changes Be flexible and proactive Treat causes not symptoms

48 Many Grass farmers use MP grazing successfully Most conservation award winners use MP grazing END