The partnership that has emerged will likely be the most benefi cial part of this project.
water availability and grazing distribution which could potentially allow us to increase cattle numbers. “The goal is to stock the ranch at 80 percent of its
carrying capacity and use the other 20 percent of the ranch for drought management and security,” says Hodges. “NRCS is helping us make some of the im- provements to get us there.”
Results and follow up Matt Coffman, NRCS grazing lands specialist, estab-
lished long-term monitoring points at random locations across the ranch and installed small enclosures that will keep livestock out and keep the enclosed area un- grazed. Later, these ungrazed areas are compared with grazed areas to monitor forage use throughout the year. “We identifi ed certain sites that will be monitored
and used to recognize trends that may affect decisions. Observing these sites over the long term also gives us
an opportunity to train new employees on data collec- tion and evaluation techniques,” Coffman says. “We will return to these sites annually to evaluate
the plant species and the grazing intensity that has oc- curred over the past season. There will be a correlation between grazing intensity and the plant community, so we would like to document that trend.” All of the data gathered during the 2014 inventory
was analyzed, compiled and presented to the Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company board of directors in the spring of 2015. “This report provides a snapshot of the ranch’s plant
communities and infrastructure from October of 2014,” Goodwin explains. “Having the right information is the most important part of making sound management decisions. This resource data will help them make those tough management decisions that not only have an ecological foundation but an economic benefi t.” NRCS will continue to provide assistance to the
ranch. Hodges says, “Now we will only have to update our plan once a year and make adjustments as needed. The information NRCS has provided is invaluable. But the partnership that has emerged will likely be the most benefi cial part of this project. I look forward to working with the agency in the future and utilizing the technical assistance that they offer.”
Cattle graze in large pastures where the forage base is monitored to assist with grazing management.
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