Judith Basin County Range School 2005

Introduction

With support from the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, the Montana Association of Conservation Districts, the Judith Basin Conservation District, the Judith Basin Extension Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service the Judith Basin County Range School was made possible. The Range School featured livestock foraging behavior and stockmanship.

Objectives

The objective of the Range School was to provide participants with an increased awareness and knowledge about animal foraging behavior and how to use this knowledge to improve the management of their livestock and grazing lands. Also, to provide the participants with a working knowledge of low stress handling of livestock, and the positive affects this method has on livestock.

Study Area

The study area for the first evening was in the Stanford City Hall. The second day the study area moved outdoors to the Hughes Livestock Ranch for a hands-on demonstration of stockmanship low stress handling of livestock.

Methods

Beth Burritt, Research Associate at Utah State University opened the session on Wednesday evening. For 16 years, Beth has conducted research studies on the role of learning on diet selection of herbivores with Dr. Fred Provenza. Beth’s presentation was centered on this research and how ranchers may use the information to improve cattle performance and range management. Beth provided a video demonstration on how sheep form food aversions. Ray Banister, rancher from Wibaux, Montana made a presentation on his “Boom-Bust” style of grazing management and the challenges of modifying livestock behavior to achieve grazing management goals. Ray’s form of high intensity-low frequency grazing system has become his hallmark.

The second morning, Beth Burritt put the finishing touch on plant-grazing-animal interactions. Steve Cote, NRCS District Conservationist at Arco, Idaho provided a video to demonstrate cattle behavior and stockmanship techniques. Steve has been an integral part of nationally recognized Coordinated Resource Management (on rangeland) projects in Central Idaho and is a leading proponent and instructor of stockmanship. Steve conducts schools and clinics on stockmanship and is the author of the book, “Stockmanship – A Powerful Tool for Grazing Lands Management”. After background information was presented, the class moved outdoors to the Hughes Livestock Ranch for a hands-on demonstration of stockmanship.

Results

A total of 71 participants from Glasgow, Joliet, Helena, Miles City, Martinsdale, Whitehall, Belgrade, Rosebud, Big Horn, Lame Deer, Forsyth, Bozeman, Malta, Geyser, Hobson, Stanford, Winifred, Buffalo, Harlowton, Winnett and Sheridan enjoyed the two-day event.

A survey was provided to all participants, and 24 surveys were returned. The results were as follows:

• When asked if the information was new: 22 said yes; 2 said somewhat new
• When asked if they would apply information: 22 said yes; 1 said for info only; 1 said maybe.
• When asked how they heard about the Range School: 3 said from an Extension agent, 5 said from the local Natural Resources Conservation Service office; 12 said through the media/flyers, 3 said from the Judith Basin Conservation District; and 1 said from a neighbor.
• When asked if participant was an educator, producer or other: 16 said Ag producer; 1 said media representing a newspaper; 5 said Professionals (NRCS); 1 said Forest Service, 1 said Extension Agent
• When asked if they would like to see more of these types of classes: All 24 said yes
• When asked for suggestions for types of schools: horses, team work on sorting/moving combined large herds, reading market trends and how to follow, water development methods, fencing placement, corral design, supplementing range, mineral/salt placement, forage alternatives, grass/weed identification & how to spray different weeds, Estate Planning, Corral working, building stress ease, Stockmanship is good, animal health care, more on identifying stress preventing illness etc., computer skills for producers, range monitoring, grazing management.

Contact Information

Judith Basin Conservation District
Teresa Wilhelm, District Administrator
(406) 566-2311 x107

Natural Resources Conservation Service
Stanford Field Office
Rick Caquelin, District Conservationist
(406) 566-2311 x101

Judith Basin County Extension Service
Wes Gibbs, County Extension Agent
(406) 566-2277 x104

For More Information

Find the educational booklet "Managing to Survive in a World of Change; Behavior Principles for Human, Animal, Vegetation, and Ecosystem Management" by Frederick D. Provenza at the Behavior Education for Human, Animal, Vegetation, and Ecosystem Management Education Products website.

"Stockmanship – A powerful tool for grazing lands management" by Steve Cote, NRCS conservationist in Arco, Idaho can be ordered from the Butte Soil and Water Conservation District website or by calling (208) 527-8557.

Last Modified: 07/11/2007