The California Rangeland Research and Information Center at UC Davis is now offering all four modules of its online science-based course entitled the “Ecology and Management of Grazing.”  This online course is organized in four modules that can be taken separately or in sequential order. The modules are 1) Introduction to Ecology and Grazing, 2) Foraging Behavior and Livestock Distribution, 3) Forage Quality and Grazing Animal Nutrition, and 4) Ranching and Grazing Systems.  Each module is introduced by a documentary quality high definition video followed by a series of narrated PowerPoint presentations. There are reading assignments and practical exercises. Each module is self-paced and will take 10 to 20 hours to complete.  Outlines for each module can be accessed via the online course registration page: 

http://californiarangeland.ucdavis.edu/Grazing%20Management/online_course.htm

Course registration fees are $200 per module or $600 for all four modules.  Registration fees can be reduced for groups of more than 10 people.  Contact Mel George (mrgeorge@ucdavis.edu, phone 530-752-1720) for group discounts. Each module is approved by the Society for Range Management for 16 CEUs.

Below is the Executive Summary from the FAO report entitled Review of evidence on drylands pastoral systems and climate change -Implications and opportunities for mitigation and adaptation. It is an interesting read for grazing livestock producers. The full report can be downloaded at:

 ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/012/i1135e/i1135e00.pdf.

Climate change and variability are long-term environmental issues and pose serious threats to vulnerable and impoverished people worldwide. In this context, governments, the scientific community, development organizations and the private sector increasingly recognize that drylands, grasslands and rangelands deserve greater attention, not only for their large extent, widespread degradation and limited resilience to drought and desertification, but also for their potential capacity to sequester and store carbon in soils while supporting sustainable pastoral and agropastoral livelihoods for millions of people.and their adaptation capacity. These opportunities can be realized only with targeted capacity building and effective incentives for improved management of these fragile ecosystems, backed up by pro-poor livestock policies, integrated processes that address natural and social dimensions, and funding mechanisms that enable multi-stakeholder engagement.

Soils represent the earth’s largest carbon sink that can be controlled and improved – larger even than forests. In addition, grassland management has been cited as the second most important agricultural technology available for climate change mitigation. This review argues that livestock and pastoral systems have a major role to play in climate change mitigation and, importantly, in supporting adaptation and reducing vulnerability.

Pastoral systems occupy two thirds of global dryland areas, host a large share of the world’s poor and have a higher rate of desertification than other land uses. Livestock production is also a growing sector. It is estimated that 1 billion people depend on livestock, and livestock serves as at least a partial source of income and food security for 70 percent of the world’s 880 million rural poor who live on less than USD 1.00 per day.

Degradation of the land base negatively affects the accumulation of carbon in the soils. Thus, reversing land degradation in extensive dryland areas through improved pasture and rangeland management would contribute to restoring the soil carbon sink while also improving livestock-based livelihoods.

The review also highlights the potential for soil carbon sequestration in dryland grazing areas and the multiple benefits of enhancing ecosystem services and processes for improving livelihoods while contributing to adaptation to climate change impacts. Realizing this potential will require increased awareness and coordinated global efforts. Arrangements to bring about climate change mitigation in drylands that simultaneously contribute to climate change adaptation should be a key area of focus in post-Kyoto mechanisms. Such win-win arrangements that successfully achieve both mitigation and adaptation benefits need to be implemented alongside interventions that address associated socio-political and economic barriers, such as land tenure constraints and inadequate services for, and political marginalization of, pastoral and agropastoral communities.

In conclusion, the review finds that there is significant potential for mitigating climate change through improved management of grazing lands in drylands, and emphasizes the concurrent opportunity to enhance the livelihoods of pastoral and agropastoral peoples.

This is a great opportunity to see or record. Temple's life and work in Animal Behaviour and Welfare while dealing with autism is nothing short of amazing. The release below explains more.

This Saturday, February 6, when HBO’s Temple Grandin airs, farmers and ranchers across the country will be tuning in to honor Temple Grandin’s work in improving the care of cattle. Grandin, living with autism, revolutionized livestock handling by tapping into her ability to see the world in a different way to develop a deeper understanding of animal behavior.

“There’s not a rancher in this country that isn’t aware of her work. We have all been influenced by Temple,” says Clint Peck, Director, Beef Quality Assurance at Montana State University. “There is no question her work has helped us all understand more about our animals and how to handle them in a caring and humane manner.”

The beef checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program sets cattle handling and beef quality standards that are followed throughout the beef production process—from farm to fork—to ensure cattle are receiving proper care.

“Temple’s insight into animal behavior and low-stress handling is the foundation of the BQA assessment, which is the scoring system we use to verify cattle are handled properly. Her contributions are monumental,”said Ryan Ruppert, director, Beef Quality Assurance, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Ruppert attended the Denver premiere of HBO’s Temple Grandin on Wednesday night as a guest of Grandin.

“I thought the movie did a great job capturing the challenges Temple overcame to improve livestock care in food production. What shocked me is how different the beef industry looks today than it did in the 60s and 70s as a result of her perseverance. She is a true pioneer,” said Ruppert.

Grandin’s work has touched every segment of beef production, from the farm to the feedlot and, ultimately, the processing facility.

"Temple Grandin has been a critical resource to Cargill, which has allowed us to continually improve our animal handling facilities and our animal welfare programs," said John Keating, President, Cargill Beef. Dr. Mike Siemens, Cargill Leader Animal Welfare and Husbandry, added, "Temple's insight and understanding of cattle behavior is truly unique. Her ability and expertise in facility design have been invaluable to the beef industry."

Cargill Beef is the second largest processor in North America and is one of the largest commercial cattle feeders in the United States. Cargill Beef sells fresh meat and other products to virtually every major chain, wholesaler and distributor in the country.

“Our facilities have been designed with Dr. Grandin’s philosophy in mind, and over the years we have continued to improve on this low-stress handling approach. We know these processes work based on how calm and quiet the cattle stay and ultimately how much easier it is for us to get our work done,” said Patsy Houghton, Ph.D. and owner of Heartland Cattle Company in Nebraska.

Heartland Cattle pioneered the heifer development business in the beef industry. Heartland’s heifer development and research center has bred more than 71,000 heifers and weaned more than 120,000 calves since its inception in 1990.

“When cattle arrive at one of our feedyards, they are moved through areas that are signature Temple Grandin, like the curved chute, that use the animals’ natural instincts to minimize stress. In fact, several of our processing facilities were built under her direction,” said Mike Thoren, president and chief operating officer for JBS Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, LLC. “Her insights and empathy into animal behavior revolutionized the cattle industry and continue to ensure cattle are handled humanely.”

Employing more than 650 professionals, JBS Five Rivers is the largest cattle feeder in the world with a combined feeding capacity of more than 839,000 head of cattle with locations in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Ohio.

Grandin’s unique understanding of animal behavior is used to teach low-stress handling techniques in feedlots, auction markets, and on farms and ranches across the country through the BQA Stockmanship and Stewardship program.

“Temple has been a wonderful advocate for animals and animal agriculture by improving the overall management and well-being of livestock. We take it to the next step and teach cattlemen how to effectively implement procedures to take advantage of the principles she has promoted throughout her career,”says Ron Gill, Associate Department Head for Extension, Animal Science Department, Texas AgriLife Extension. Gill travels the country training livestock handlers in BQA-approved cattle handling techniques.

“We’ve always cared for our cattle but Temple has given us more insight into their behavior. Personally, I have more confidence in how I handle animals because of her work,” says Peck.

See the release below from USDA concerning the National Animal ID Program.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2010-Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced today that USDA will develop a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability in the United States, and undertake several other actions to further strengthen its disease prevention and response capabilities.

"After concluding our listening tour on the National Animal Identification System in 15 cities across the country, receiving thousands of comments from the public and input from States, Tribal Nations, industry groups, and representatives for small and organic farmers, it is apparent that a new strategy for animal disease traceability is needed," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "I've decided to revise the prior policy and offer a new approach to animal disease traceability with changes that respond directly to the feedback we heard."

The framework, announced today at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Mid-Year meeting, provides the basic tenets of an improved animal disease traceability capability in the United States. USDA's efforts will:

• Only apply to animals moved in interstate commerce;
• Be administered by the States and Tribal Nations to provide more flexibility;
• Encourage the use of lower-cost technology; and
• Be implemented transparently through federal regulations and the full rulemaking process.

"One of my main goals for this new approach is to build a collaborative process for shaping and implementing our framework for animal disease traceability," said Vilsack. "We are committed to working in partnership with States, Tribal Nations and industry in the coming months to address many of the details of this framework, and giving ample opportunity for farmers and ranchers and the public to provide us with continued input through this process."

One of USDA's first steps will be to convene a forum with animal health leaders for the States and Tribal Nations to initiate a dialogue about the possible ways of achieving the flexible, coordinated approach to animal disease traceability we envision. Additionally, USDA will be revamping the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health to address specific issues, such as confidentiality and liability.

Although USDA has a robust system in place to protect U.S. agriculture, with today's announcement, the Department will also be taking several additional actions to further strengthen protections against the entry and spread of disease. These steps will include accelerating actions to lessen the risk from diseases--such as tuberculosis--posed by imported animals, initiating and updating analyses on how animal diseases travel into the country, improving response capabilities, and focusing on greater collaboration and analyses with States and industry on potential disease risk overall.

More information on USDA's new direction on animal traceability and the steps to improve disease prevention and control is available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability.