Early warning for stocking decision in eastern Colorado

Authors: Raynor, Edward; BRUEGGER, RETTA - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Extension Publications
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/2/2020
Publication Date: 12/21/2020
Citation: Raynor, E.J., Bruegger, R. 2020. Early warning for stocking decision in eastern Colorado. Extension Publications. Colorado State University Extension Fact Sheet No. 3.115. Livestock Series.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This article provides a summary of findings from an article, where we investigated the role of sea surface temperature anomalies, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), in concert with local precipitation in mediating large herbivore production (net secondary production) over 8 decades. Findings revealed that the variability of large herbivore production under high density was substantially greater than low density management when PDO phase was cold relative to variability under warm phase PDO. Crucially, the degree to which increased large herbivore density improved production was related to PDO phase, ENSO magnitude, prior growing season precipitation, and non-growing season precipitation, which are all climatic factors available for adaptive grazing management prior to the grazing season (e.g., April/May).