The annual California Grazing Academy held at UC SFREC and led by Roger Ingram, Nevada/Placer County UCCE Director and Livestock Advisor was once again a widely attended and engaging event. Over a third of an inch of rain cooled off the 24 participants that attended the two-day event that mixed lectures and hand-on activities to explore and demonstrate key principles that drive the ability of producers to be successful grass farmers. Topics included controlled grazing principles, water and mineral cycles, pasture cell design, rest/grazing periods, nutrition and supplementation as well as grazing planning and monitoring. Each participant had the opportunity to visually estimated carrying capacity, install electric fencing, move cows with calves into their designated paddocks, and watch the cattle consume pasture grass over a period of 24 hours.  This annual training has remained hugely popular across California and the West with some participants coming as far as Utah to learn from UCCE and Roger Ingram. We looked forward to another year!

Forage growth through the end of January at SFREC set an all-time low of 98 pounds per acre. Typically we should be around 515 pounds per acre this time of year. Forage composition is also leaning pretty heavily towards broad leaf species like filaree which can dry up pretty quick. The chances of having an average or above average forage year this season seems highly unlikely based on history, but there is still hope to have a decent below average year.  In the 1990-91 forage production year forage production values through February indicated 162 pounds per ac and we reached 2,565 pounds per ac at peak standing crop, which was 86% of average, this was the year of the  "Miracle March”. 

Making the forage year look more optimistic, SFREC received over 5 inches of rain over the weekend brining our totals up to about 9.3 inches. While we should normally be around 17 inches this time of year it is a big step in the right direction.

Water - the focus of countless issues, headlines, and studies - is arguably a more precious resource than gold.

Dependence on water application ranges far and wide in today's thirsty society – from drinking to sanitation to agriculture. This valuable resource needs to be managed efficiently to ensure each drop is spread the furthest.

Individuals involved with the University of California's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources are actively evaluating management practices to ensure and develop water-wise irrigation methods.  At the Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center, many research projects have focused on water quality, runoff, and irrigation efficiency. A current project led by Livestock Farm Advisor Larry Forero monitors surface runoff and soil moisture content in flood irrigated pastures at SFREC.

The goal of this project is to ultimately estimate the efficiency of a “wild flood” surface irrigation system so practical opportunities for reducing irrigation water use can be suggested without impacting production. Gary Childers, staff member and key irrigator at SFREC for over 30 years, frequently collects data from watermark sensors located at various points across two pastures. The sensors are at depths of 6”, 12”, and 24”. A key component of this project compares the amount of water delivered to the site with the amount of tailwater leaving the pasture. All irrigation water at SFREC is received via pipeline or channeled through ditches by the Brown's Valley Irrigation District, fed from Collins Lake.

Although over 100 miners inches (2.5 cf/s) are purchased annually by SFREC, sustainable water utilization methods are executed. “Nearly every application of irrigation water is used at least twice, but as many as four times – just on this property. Once the water leaves, additional uses occur but are unknown,” explained Childers.

Gold may be in high demand - with the current value exceeding $1320 per ounce - but once water becomes scarce, it is truly priceless. By taking the initiative to research innovative water management practices and develop a better understanding of sustainable irrigation methods, SFREC and the entire UCANR division are enabling water availability and conservation for the future.

The Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center, part of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resource Division, is a great resource for researchers, educators, agricultural professionals, conservationists–generally anyone interested in conserving and enhancing rangeland ecosystems and the agricultural industries these systems support.

 

 

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