CowCountry
Spring 2015
The official magazine of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association
ELLIS LEADS
NATION’S BEEF
INDUSTRY33
8 CONSIDERING THE GROUSE
12 CREATING TIES HALF A WORLD AWAY
26 THE BALLAD OF NATE CHAMPION
CowCountry Spring 2015•1
The College Pitch
By Frank Galey - UW College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
UW Offers Rangeland Resources
The University of Wyoming, partners provide up-to-date information for managing rangelands
T
his week’s snowpack report was a little worribook by calling the UW Extension Resource Center at
some. Wyoming is at 88 percent of the median
307-766-2115, picking up an order form from your local
for precipitation, and that could mean a long,
UW Extension office, or contacting the UW Bookstore.
dry summer and grazing headaches. What can the
Cheatgrass, and what to do about cheatgrass,
university do to help? As a land-grant institution, the
immediately sparks discussion among ranchers. Do
answer is more than you might think. I want to share
you have ideas for restoring a cheatgrass-dominated
with WSGA members some of the
pasture into a more productive,
resources available to help livestock
diverse plant community? The
producers today and into the future.
University of Wyoming, along
About 85 percent of Wyoming
with partner organizations, is
land is classified as rangelands. A
hosting the first ever rangeland
key to rangeland management is
restoration challenge for 2015.
to know the current conditions of
Brian Mealor and Andrew Kniss,
the range and develop a grazing
two weed scientists on our faculty,
plan that does not cause deterioare encouraging others to help
ration. One monitoring technique
them evaluate treatment options.
gaining popularity is the ecologEach of the 12, four-person teams
ical site descriptions (ESD). UW
consisting of producers, stakeExtension recently teamed with
holders, scientists, and students,
other agencies to offer workshops
will be assigned a plot of land at
demonstrating how to conduct
the James C. Hageman SustainESDs. They usually include inforable Agriculture Research and
mation on soils, major plant species,
Extension Center near Lingle.
annual precipitation and potential Curtis Grubbs and Brock Elson examine Each team will also develop and
native vegetation for that site.
vegetation during a University of Wyoming implement a restoration plan
The workshops included both event. Courtesy Photo.
to meet the land management
classroom and field work, but if you
goals for the site. Organizers are
missed these opportunities, materials will be posted
planning a prize for the winning strategy. More inon the Wyoming Society for Range Management webformation on the project as well as entry forms is at
site (http://rangelands.org/wyoming). Our extension
www.weedcontrolfreaks.com.
videographer is creating short videos from the field
Weed Control Freaks also has range and pasture
sessions that will be available through UW Extension.
herbicide information and a link to the UW Extension
These should be helpful to anyone wanting to learn
publication Wyoming Weed Watchlist Field Guide.
more about ESDs and their potential uses in rangeland
The purpose of the guide is to help people identify and
management decisions.
prevent weeds not yet widely established in Wyoming.
Another resource that might be of interest to CowThe College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Country readers is the new edition of A Field Guide to
is also part of a collective effort by 19 land-grant uniWyoming Grasses by Quentin Skinner. Compiled by
versities in the West to bring rangeland expertise to the
Professor Emeritus Skinner, this 596 page, full-color
public. Rangelands West (www.globalrangelands.org)
book contains descriptions, maps and color plates of
contains many resources on topics related to rangeland
each species. This is an excellent reference manual for
health in the North American West. The site includes
anyone needing to identify grasses. As a bonus, a porcurrent research, access to decision-making tools, and
tion of the sale of each book benefits our rangeland ecoltraining materials for sustainable rangelands.
ogy and watershed management students. Order the
For Wyoming-specific information, check out
14•CowCountry Spring 2015
Wyoming Rangelands (www.uwyoextension.org/
uwrange). Maintained by Rachel Mealor, our UW
Extension range specialist, the site includes videos,
links to resource blogs and apps to help Wyoming
ranchers manage their lands. Drought management
materials and the Living with Wildfire in Wyoming
handbook are a few of the site’s many resources.
Justin Derner’s column in this issue of CowCountry
[See Page 18] highlights other ongoing projects involving UW Extension, College of Agriculture and Natural
Resource faculty members and the USDA Agricultural
Research Service (ARS). One new research project involving UW, ARS and the Thunder Basin Grassland
Prairie Ecosystem Association aims to learn more
about interactions between fire and grazing in the
Thunder Basin.
A primary function of the college, and a cornerstone of the land-grant mission, is providing
scientifically sound information to constituents. I
encourage you to explore these resources and to
contact our departments or UW Extension specialists to help with specific issues.
I look forward to visiting with all of you at the
upcoming summer meeting in Sheridan.
Member show & Tell
Sharing moments from your ranch life.
Because we’re all in this together.
Four-year-old Kenneth Lerwick from Albin is a real
hand. Son of Michael and Diane Lerwick.
Members, share your moments with us! E-mail
pictures with a description to [email protected].
Advertisement
WANTED
✔ mentor ranches to host interns seeking careers in
agriculture and land stewardship
✔ interns who will gain first-hand experience working on
Wyoming ranches
✔ funders who agree that today’s students need on-theground experience to be effective stewards of the land
The Wyoming Stock Growers Association,
Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts and
The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming are working to give
hands-on experiences to the next generation of land stewards.
for information contact
WSGA at 307-638-3942/[email protected] or
TNC at 307-335-2130/[email protected]
CowCountry Spring 2015•15