Field Day Proceedings
The Corona Range and Livestock Research Center has hosted three major field days that highlighted research and demonstrations conducted at the center. The most current field day was hosted in 2008 and below you will find information and links on the most recent completed or nearly completed projects and their results. The Center currently hosts major field days every three years, the next being held in July 2011, with educational programs in the years between. The proceedings of 2005 and 1997 Field Day's are available at the bottom of the page. Check out the Events and Announcements page to the left for dates of our next event.
2008 CRLRC Field Day Welcome
July 18, 2008
Welcome! The Corona Range and Livestock Research Center staff wants to thank you for your time and expense in attending our 2008 Triennial Field Day. You are guaranteed to find a project of interest. The posters presented today will highlight ongoing research programs progressing at the Center, as well as, the culmination of multiple year experiments that will surely pique the interest of one and all.
For those of you who are attending your first field day, I would like to familiarize you with the Center. The Center is a 28,112 acre (approximately 42 sections) working ranch that is utilized as a field research laboratory by the research faculty of the Animal and Range Sciences Department, as well as, other scientists from New Mexico State University. The Center is self-sustaining and utilizes the income from its beef- and purebred- cattle, sheep and hunting enterprises for all operation costs, as well as, providing support for research programs conducted at the center by providing capital improvements and travel funding. The ranch is operated by two full-time employees; a research center manager who manages ranch operations and coordinates research conducted on the ranch with the scientists, and a senior research technician who is responsible for day to day operations and care of the beef cattle and the sheep flock. Both employees have responsibilities in the implementation and integrity of the research projects. Temporary and occasional help are hired and utilized when necessary. This summer we have two summer staff employees who have made the Field Day possible by eagerly getting everything in top shape.
A committee of active ranch research scientists was formed to help develop, guide and coordinate the facets involved in managing the research center. This committee, the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center Steering Committee, meets twice a year to share research results, as well as, research protocols, new ideas and assists in decisions concerning ranch management and direction.
Management and coordination of the ranch is strengthened by the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center's Advisory Committee. This committee consists of regional ranchers, land managers, program coordinators, financial lenders, news reporters, local governmental leaders, etc. who meet twice a year and assists scientists and center staff in "staying focused" by promoting applied problem solving and adding an outside perspective into managing the research center and research orientation.
It has been three years since our last field day, however this is by design. The nature of natural resource and range animal research does not allow us the convenience of drawing short-term conclusions but dictates that usually a minimum of three years of data collection must be completed before any results can be analyzed. Therefore, we hold a field day every three years and in the two years in between we host an educational program called our Half Day of College. During this program we hold three concurrent sessions dealing with current or relevant issues to the land and livestock manager.
As with most of the southwestern United States we have been enduring droughty conditions, with this past year one of our worst years due to low precipitation during the months of July and August. This is an especially critical time of the year to receive precipitation because of our short growing season and the only time of the year to produce our keystone grass, blue grama. Because of the low precipitation during this time we grew basically no blue grama in 2007. We have been trying to increase our inventory back to a level that provides for income to increase our research productivity and an increase in center improvements. We had been hopeful that this Spring would yield a cool-season crop to help us along, which did not happen. Some of our country has been grazed a little short and our cattle have been moved around to graze areas that have been traditionally grazed during other seasons and classes of livestock just to get by. The monsoonal flow has finally started to stream in and we are catching a little rain as I write this letter. I hope that we can continue to receive rain and allow us to keep the herd at the level that we have finally built back up to and time will tell.
Currently, we are grazing 397 AUY's after rebuilding our livestock numbers with ranch raised replacements only over the last few years. Today our animal inventory includes 248 cows and 81 replacement heifers; and 177 ewes with 50 ewe lambs. If precipitation falls at normal or above levels the ranch could continue to increase carrying capacity to the average level of 484 AUY's within the next few years.
This is an exciting time for the research center. We have maintained a respectable level of research throughout a drought stricken 7 to 8 year period. With the leadership of our advisory committee, $1,525,000 has been secured to develop and start phased construction of the Southwest Center for Rangeland Sustainability, which will enhance our commitment to maintaining and improving our status as the premier rangeland livestock research center in the United States. This new center will enhance our disseminating information and relevant educational events. Current plans include classrooms for on-site instruction, as well as, distance education courses of which both could include unique hands on field workshops and the use of improved laboratory facilities. The mule deer and pronghorn research has yielded some much needed data that has been missing for these species in the desert southwest and will continue to yield information for a number of years as we try to build wildlife populations back to the levels that they were before the drought decreased these populations. The center has been proactive in studying innovative and promising nutritional solutions that target lower production costs and/or increasing net income and will be the key to surviving during these times of increased costs in both supplementation and delivery. This commitment has also driven our research program to find innovative solutions to increase lamb weaning weights while maintaining the wool quality that New Mexico wool growers are known worldwide for producing. The crossbreeding of South African Meat Merino (SAMM) into our western white face herds has shown some promising yet premature initial data that hopefully will be a boon to our industry in the southwest. Also, as the United States continues to deal with skyrocketing energy cost and increasing alternative energy development the center has an opportunity to get involved in wind energy development and research that will allow the center to expand research interests and develop partnerships that will benefit both you as a land manager and New Mexico State University as a leader in Southwest grazing land innovations.
Again, I thank you for your interest in the innovations that the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center has been discovering for you as southwest natural resource managers and livestock producers.
Sincerely,
Shad H. Cox, Ranch Manager
2008 CRLRC Field Day Sponsors
These sponsors helped insure a successful Field Day:
- Shell Wind Energy, Inc. - Lunch Sponsor
- Alderman Cave Nutritional Solutions - Morning Coffee and Donuts Sponsor
- Paul's Veterinary Supply - Bottled Drinking Water Sponsor
A special thanks to:
- Corona FFA Chapter and Corona Public Schools - Chair and Table Rental/Setup
- Crown Cowbells - Providing an excellent beef lunch
- Corona Trading Company - Special ordering and pricing
2008 Maps and Charts
2008 Research Summaries and Results
WILDLIFE
Presented Papers
Presented Posters
RANGELANDS
Presented Papers
Presented Posters
LIVESTOCK EFFICIENCY
Presented Papers
Presented Posters
2005 CRLRC Field Day Sponsors
These sponsors helped to insure a successful Field Day:
- Alderman-Cave Feeds
- Claunch-Pinto Soil and Water Conservation District
- Corona Trading Company
- Paul's Vet Supply
- Southwest Dairy Producers
A Special Thanks to:
- Corona FFA
- Corona Public School Bus Contractors
- Corona Public Schools
- Crown Cowbelles