- Author: Devii R. Rao
Do you have sheep and/or goats? Are you interested in learning about small ruminant nutrition, disease prevention, the new veterinary feed directive, or using sheep and goats to manage weeds and fire fuels?
Survey responses are anonymous unless you choose to provide your name.
If you are not a sheep or goat producer, but you know someone who is, please feel free to pass this info on to them.
If you have any questions or additional suggestions, you can contact Devii Rao at drorao@ucanr.edu or 831-637-5346 x14.
- Author: Joseph DiTomaso
Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) (YST) is the most pervasive invasive and noxious weed in California. Previous work showed that YST uses substantially more water than forage annual grasses it typically displaces. Soil moisture was 20% higher in annual grass test sites compared to YST test sites. Because yellow starthistle is found (sometimes in very extensive stands) on millions of acres of California, it is possible that removal of the thistle could substantially increase groundwater recharge and subsequent surface runoff. This could greatly improve range conditions, wildlife habitat and water supply, especially in the Sacramento Valley where groundwater levels are generally still fairly high and connected to surface water streams. Thus, improvements in groundwater levels in the Sacramento Valley could be expected to translate to improved surface runoff. In addition to the economic benefits of greater water generation, reducing YST will also benefit cattle ranchers. It has been estimated that statewide benefits to ranchers could exceed $20 million per year. There would also be substantial benefits to biodiversity, since native plants will do better when YST is removed. Increased streamflow due to greater groundwater recharge could also benefit native fish species and help listed rivers meet temperature TMDLs.
To test this concept, a three-year experiment is underway to evaluate the hypothesis that YST removal can improve groundwater levels and surface runoff. In particular, the ultimate objective is to estimate the potential saving of full-scale application on groundwater, runoff, soil moisture, and their interaction. The experiment is a collaboration among several researchers, including Joe DiTomaso and Leslie Roche in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, Jay Lund and Sarah Yarnell at the UC Davis Watershed Center, Mike Deas with Watercouse Engineering, and Geral Meral with the California Water Program Director of the Natural Heritage Institute. The project will be performed on four similar small watersheds covering about 30 acres on a ranch in Yolo County (in cooperation with John Anderson and Bruce Rominger). If the experiment demonstrates that water supplies can be improved, local water districts and those agencies that export water from the Sacramento Delta may find it financially attractive to pay for extensive yellow starthistle removal.
- Author: Devii R. Rao
Here's some info about two great upcoming workshops:
Targeted/Prescribed (Rotational / Deferral) Livestock Grazing for Meeting Conservation Goals
Thursday, April 20, 2017
9:00 AM - 4:30 PMCal
Poly Beef Center
Cost: $30, includes lunch
This is the twice-a-year meeting of the Central Coast Rangeland Coalition. The goal of this meeting is to raise awareness of how planned, targeted, rotational/deferral grazing practices (particular strategies and methods) can be used to meet specific conservation objectives.
Click here for more information or to register.
Sheep & Goat Workshop
Tuesday, June 13
3:30 PM - 6:30 PM
San Benito High School Ag Barn
Cost: $15 for adults, $5 for youth 18 and under, includes light refreshment
Don't miss the sheep shearing demonstration!
Additional topics to be covered include:
• Sheep and goat disease prevention, vaccinations, Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD)
• Fire fuel and weed control using sheep and goats
• Producer economics and predator management
• Sheep and goat nutrition
• California Wool Growers Association and Lamb Board Updates
To register click the following link: https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=20647 or contact Devii Rao at drorao@ucanr.edu or 831-637-5346 x14.
Click here for the flier. Click here for the agenda.
- Author: Devii R. Rao
Are you a local sheep and/or goat producer, 4-H or FFA member, or someone who is interested in learning more about sheep and goats? Do you have questions about disease prevention, nutrition, or vegetation management using sheep and goats? If so, join UC Cooperative Extension/San Benito 4-H for an informative sheep & goat workshop on Tuesday, June 13 from 3:30 to 6:30 pm in Hollister. The workshop will be held at the San Benito High School Ag Barn on San Benito Street just past the football field. Thanks so much to Hollister FFA for letting us hold this event at their great facility.
Come learn about disease prevention and the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) from Dr. William Seals, DVM from Gilroy. Roger Ingram is our Livestock & Natural Resources Advisor extraordinaire and will talk with us about using sheep and goats for fire fuel reduction and weed control. Roger will be retiring this year, so this is a great opportunity to learn from a true expert before he retires! Some other great UC Cooperative Extension folks who are small ruminant experts will be speaking as well. Dan Macon will cover predator management and John Harper will share some good information about proper nutrition. We'll have an update on the Lamb Board from Monterey County producer Joanne Nissen. And you won't want to miss the sheep shearing demonstration by local sheep shearer Sergio Garza!
Registration is $15 for adults and $5 for youth 18 and under. Light refreshment will be provided. To register, go to https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=20647 or contact Devii Rao at 831-637-5346 x14 / drorao@ucanr.edu. Please register by June 6 so we have a good head-count and have enough snacks for everyone! For more information about the workshop, here's the flier and agenda: http://cesanbenito.ucanr.edu/files/262949.pdf.
This workshop can count as 3 hours for 4-H members who might need a sheep/goat makeup meeting, a junior or teen leader of sheep/goats who needs more hours for their leadership. Otherwise, it would be counted as a #3 event attended for your record book. 4-H & FFA members will also receive a certificate of completion for attending the event.
This is an event for all ages and all experience levels, so I hope to see you there!
- Author: Devii R. Rao
It seems like it's just about always a difficult time to be a livestock producer in California. Because of that, UC Cooperative Extension is working with our Central Coast Cattlemen and Cattlewomen's Associations to provide you the tools you need to become or continue to be economically and ecologically sustainable.
We will be putting on a workshop series in San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties addressing the issues most important to you. But, in order to do that, we need your help. Please take 5 minutes or less to tell us what you need to know most to improve your bottom line. Here's the link to the survey: http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=21048. Survey results are anonymous. Your response will help make the workshops more relevant and valuable to our local ranching community.
Thanks for taking the time to fill out the survey!