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Enhancing Sandhills Ranching with TGM Projects: Insights from USDA-RMA Collaboration

Explore how TGM projects are assisting cattle ranchers in Carroll, Iowa, through observations and activities led by Agren, Inc. Learn about ranch visits, TGM inputs, difficulties faced by ranchers, and observations on TGM adoption and use in different scenarios. Discover the benefits and challenges of implementing TGM in ranching operations.

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Enhancing Sandhills Ranching with TGM Projects: Insights from USDA-RMA Collaboration

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  1. Rob Ravenscroft Agren, Inc. Carroll, Iowa Observations from Assisting Cattle Ranchers Using TGM

  2. Projects: • USDA-RMA • Learn from users • Improve usability of TGM • NRCS-CIG (Sandhills Task Force, Nebraska) • Sustain sandhills ranching families and natural resources

  3. Agren's Activities: • USDA_RMA • Group introduction & training May, '05 • Ranch visits and telephone assistance, summer '05 • Group review & wrap-up, January, '06 • Sandhills project begun, '06

  4. On-Ranch Visits: • Ranch setup • Pasture production • Cattle numbers • Grazing schedules • TGM use • Grazing and Livestock numbers updated • Forage utilization estimated • Growing conditions evaluated • Learning to use the decision support features of TGM

  5. TGM Inputs (review): • Pasture production (Demand Days) • Animal demand (Demand Days) • Numbers, Weights & Gain • Grazing Schedule • Forage utilization (observed) • Growing conditions (adjusted curve)

  6. Difficulties Ranchers Experience with TGM • Resistance to “Demand Days” • More familiar with AUMs • Degree is relative to familiarity with AUMs • Evaluating Forage Utilization and Growing Conditions • How to quantify utilization? • What level of accuracy is needed?

  7. Observations & Conclusions • Demand Days concept can be grasped and accepted • TGM most useful with clear Livestock & Land objectives • Stocking Rate: directly affects animal performance • Stocking Rate: can “blow” a good range management plan • Overutilization of plants • Abandoning grazing plan to preserve short-term livestock needs (drought)

  8. Observations & Conclusions • TGM adapts to any management system & climate • Precise measurement is not critical for effective management decisions (forage utilization and growth curves) • Use in public lands situations requires two-way communication & agreement on management results

  9. Reasons for not adopting TGM • Too “Complicated” • Already have a good monitoring and record-keeping system • Don't need a monitoring and record-keeping system (usually experienced and confident operators) • Don’t understand that TGM isn’t primarily a record-keeping system • Don’t understand Stocking Rate & Variable climates

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