Michael Jaquez is one of our newer Community Education Specialist with the Climate Smart Agriculture team at University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Based in San Diego County, he is excited to create connections with local farmers and growers and provide technical assistance to increase the use of climate smart agricultural practices.

Michael is a San Diego native and began his journey in the agriculture industry through raising livestock projects with Ramona Wranglers 4-H. He pursued a bachelor's degree in Animal Science with a minor in Dairy Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Michael then returned to Cal Poly to complete a Master of Agricultural Education degree and teaching credential to begin working as a high school agricultural educator and FFA advisor. He spent a year teaching Food Science, Veterinary Science and Introductory Agricultural Mechanics to students in the Bay Area. 

Much of Michael's practical agriculture experience comes from helping with his family's regenerative meat and egg farm, Three Sons Farm. Located in Ramona, they produce pasture-raised chicken and eggs, grassfed beef and pork, and value-added products using pork lard. The farm believes that waste is an unused resource and strives to minimize waste production. Three Sons Farm sells at local farmer's markets throughout the week and delivers directly to customers homes. The farm has provided Michael with the opportunity to develop a holistic understanding of the agriculture industry by being involved in many stages of production including: animal husbandry, processing and packaging, farmer's market sales and outreach, and grant writing.

Working as a Community Education Specialist provides the opportunity to be involved in many aspects of the industry, and Michael is excited to apply his skill set and passion for local agriculture to continue supporting San Diego farmers and growers. 

When it comes to animal housing, manure management requires thought and consideration. Much of this decision depends on the size of the operation, species of animal, and the overall goals of your farming practices. Deep bedding models have become more popular, specifically compost bedded pack barns (CBP) seen in the dairy industry.

A compost bedded pack is a style of deep bedding system that combines a dry, fine litter such as shavings, with the animal's manure, resulting in a favorable environment that slowly composts the manure (Bewley et al., 2012). This style of manure management provides a large space for dairy cattle to rest, and has been reported to reduce odor, results in fewer flies, and improved cow cleanliness to name a few (Bewley et al., 2012). For a CBP to be successful, a new carbon source (Such as shavings or nut hulls) must be added each day to the pack, and the area must be aerated to encourage the bacteria to breakdown the organic matter, resulting in a usable compost once the pack is cleaned out, which typically happens once or twice a year (Bewley et al., 2012).

Deep bedding systems similar to CBP have been used in other livestock industries as well. Poultry producers have used deep bedding systems to achieve a similar goal, as well as swine operations. Chickens consistently scratch and turn the bedding in search of tasty treats, and pigs root through the bedding for similar reasons. A deep bedding system is a favorable environment from an animal welfare perspective as well.

Curious about deep bedding systems and want more information? Watch these videos to learn more:

Compost Bedding Pack Barn	How Joel Salatin Uses Pigs and Chickens to Fertilize His Farm

References

Bewley, Jeffrey & Taraba, Joseph & Day, George & Black, Randi & Damasceno, Flavio. (2012). Compost Bedded Pack Barn Design: Features and Management Considerations. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Publication. ID.

Danielle Duyst is our newest Community Education Specialist with the UC ANR Climate Smart Agriculture Program based in Tulare and Kern Counties. She is excited to support farmers throughout the Central Valley and assist in implementing sustainable farm practices. Danielle grew up in Tulare County on an orange orchard and lives in Visalia today.

Her interest in environmental science and sustainability began when she got her first field job early in college as an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) lab assistant for an agriculture science lab supporting farmers in Tulare. She continued to explore her passion for the environment through completing a bachelor's degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies at the University of Utah. Throughout her time at U of Utah, she studied atmospheric physics, environmental science, climate change, climate records, environmental justice, and more. During her final semester, she worked with Seven Canyons Trust and Utah Radon Lab to increase environmental health in Salt Lake City.

 Danielle is excited to support farmers and spread education concerning climate-smart agriculture throughout Tulare and Kern counties. She can be contacted at dduyst@ucanr.edu.

Why integrate livestock into your cropping system?

Historically, farmers raised both crops and livestock because they are mutually beneficial. In an article titled, “Integrating Livestock and Crops: Improving Soil, Solving Problems, Increasing Income,” Linda Coffey and Tra

cy Mumma describe how livestock were used for weed control, improving soil health, recycling plant material, providing additional income, and insurance. Coffey and Mumma, agriculture specialists at the National Center for Appropriate Technology, state that, “A failed crop could still be grazed, and so livestock provided “insurance” in a time when crop insurance did not exist.” The industry has shifted towards product specialization by separating crops and livestock to focus on maximizing yield, but the benefits from integrating livestock back into cropping systems might change this. Some of these benefits include increasing soil organic matter and therefore water holding capacity, increasing biodiversity and fertility of the soil, reducing waste by grazing crop residue and dropped fruits, and increasing the self-sufficiency of farms (Coffey and Mumma, 2014). Ultimately, a combination of the two maximize benefits by turning crop residue into dollars and improving soil quality through the manure produced by livestock (Coffey and Mumma, 2014).

Here are a few examples of integrating livestock into cropping systems, and the benefits that result.

Seasonally grazing sheep in the vineyard reduces fossil fuel usage, reduces and eliminates the use of herbicides, produces manure to provide nutrients and organic matter to the soil, and results in a high quality, grass-fed lamb. Video Link	Ducks are used to control pests in South African Vineyards which reduces the use of insecticides, and their manure provides additional nutrient benefits to the soil. Video Link
Massa Organics combine cover crops, no-till, and uses sheep to control the plant growth on the floor of their almond orchard, thus eliminating the need for herbicides and artificial fertilizers. Video Link	A farm that grows a variety of processing vegetables uses strip tillage and cattle to graze their high residue cropping system. This reduces erosion, improves the soil structure, and brings in additional revenue. Video Link

  

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