Relationships of Range Health Scores with Grazing Management Practices and Producer Perspectives in Alberta, Canada

• Author / Creator

  Dahl, Kristine Marie

• Livestock management systems are becoming an increasing focus of attention in scientific study. An area of study that has not been heavily investigated is the social dimension of grazing management. Why do some livestock producers choose one form of grazing management over another? Why is there such a divide between adherents of different management systems? This study was aimed at understanding the differences in motivations and decision-making regarding grazing management options across Alberta. Ranches involved in this study represent the Boreal, Montane, Parkland and Grassland Natural Regions of Alberta, Canada, and fall in to one of four distinct groups of grazing management systems: Holistic Management, Fast Rotational, Slow Rotational and Continuous grazing. We will investigate the differences in landscape and grazing management by approaching graziers on a personal level, through a series of interviews with 28 ranchers, and by completing a biophysical range health assessment on the ranches to complement these interviews and provide physical evidence of the range health of the land. Our research revealed new understandings on both the range health and the social aspects of grazing management in Alberta. Key findings in range health were that grazing system alone or in combination with our other included factors did not significantly influence range health scores. A second surprising outcome was that range health scores were more influenced by aridity and current percent forage use than stocking rate. New understandings in the social aspect of grazing management were that although four systems of grazing management were identified during the study, there were far more commonalities in philosophy and mindsets between producers from the various systems than there were differences. We identify four key social themes in common out of the interview data with producers. Our findings add new information and understandings to the accepted body of literature available on grazing management from both the range health and sociological aspects, and provides a sound starting point for future research to build from. Overall, we have added very interesting and important details to the current body of knowledge on grazing management from both the biophysical and sociological standpoints.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Holistic Management
  • Producer Perspectives
  • Grazing Management
  • Biophysical Data
  • Range Health
  • Social Norms
  • Sociological Data
  • Grazing Systems

• Graduation date

  Spring 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-e3qr-kj66

• License

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