Please join California Wool Growers Association for a Sheep Production 101 Workshop at the University of California Davis. This workshop will focus on sheep production basics, animal handling, breeding practices, nutrition, lambing, and predator management.

This workshop is open to ALL sheep producers, large and small, and industry stakeholders.

Workshop Cost ∼ $25.00 for members, $35.00 non-members

Registration Deadline: October 5^th

Late Fee: $10.00

CLICK HERE for registration form and tentative agenda.

A few Livestock Advisors in Central California are interested in developing a research project on oaks and we want to make sure the project will be valuable to you!

I'm hoping you will be willing to take 3 minutes to fill out a survey about why oaks are important to you and what info you need about oaks to better manage your lands. Here's a link to the survey, which has 7 questions: https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=25464. 

The survey is totally anonymous. 

 

For additional information, please contact:

Devii Rao in San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties: drorao@ucanr.edu or 831-637-5346 x14.

Julie Finzel in Kern, Kings, Tulare counties: jafinzel@ucanr.edu or 661-868-6219.

Rebecca Ozeran in Fresno and Madera counties: rkozeran@ucanr.edu or 559-241-6564.

Join us on October 24 at the Orradre Building at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm to learn what you need to know to comply with Senate Bill 88.  Cost is $25/person.  Register here: https://bit.ly/2CMH30n or contact me at drorao@ucanr.edu or 831-637-5346 x14. See attached flyer for more details.

Many farmers and ranchers are concerned about complying with Senate Bill 88, which requires all water right holders - who have previously diverted or intend to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year (including riparian and pre-1914 claims), or are authorized to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year (under a permit, license, or registration) - to measure and report the water they divert.

Assembly Bill 589 allows any diverter, as defined, who has completed a course on measurement devices and methods administered by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), including passage of a proficiency test to be considered a "Qualified Individual" who may install and maintain measuring devices or implement methods of measurement that are used for their own annual diversions as required by the California State Water Resources Control Board. People who divert 100 acre feet or more per year will be required to take the UCCE course.

Farmers and ranchers who divert more than 10, but less than 100 acre feet per year are not required to take the course. However, people in this category are still encouraged to come because the course will be help them learn the best ways to measure and report on their diversions as well.

Click here to learn more about Water Board requirements for measuring and reporting the diversion of water.

 

Are you a rancher who is interested in figuring out ways to reduce costs?

Are you thinking about going into the cattle business?

Or are you a staff person at an agency that uses livestock grazing as a land management tool, and want to better understand how ranching works?

Click here to check out the new cow-calf production cost study for California's Central Coast.

This cost study represents a fictitious 300 head cow/calf ranching operation on California's Central Coast. It begins with a narrative, describing the kinds of costs that are typically incurred in a ranching operation. The tables at the end of the study offer a line item for each cost and for revenues. Much of the information in this cost study is based on interviews with long-time ranchers in San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties, along with others in the livestock industry.

This cost study can be a valuable tool for someone who is thinking about going into the cattle business because it will help them think through the various categories of costs and aid in developing a budget and business plan. The study can also be used by a seasoned rancher. The first cost table (on page 11) has an empty column titled, “Your Costs.” This is probably one of the most useful pages for the experienced rancher. A producer can use this column to enter their own costs and compare it to the costs in the study. It will help them think about where they can make changes in their operation to reduce costs. This study will also be of value to land management agencies who lease their lands for cattle grazing. Many agency staff are not familiar with the different aspects of cow/calf operations. For land management agency staff, the most useful portion of the study is likely to be the Operations Calendar (on page 4) which summarizes the timeline for breeding, branding, vaccinating, calving, shipping, etc.

If you're interested in cost studies for other commodities, click here go to the UC Davis Cost and Return Study website.