Precision grazing: state of the science and opportunity for user feedback on new technologies

Authors: MCINTOSH, MATTHEW - New Mexico State University; Spiegal, Sheri; ANEY, SKYE - New Mexico State University; STEINER, JEAN - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2021
Publication Date: 3/29/2022
Citation: McIntosh, M., Spiegal, S.A., Aney, S., Steiner, J. 2022. Precision grazing: state of the science and opportunity for user feedback on new technologies. Society for Range Management Meeting Proceedings. Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Precision farming technologies are an emerging management platform aimed at digitizing crop and animal production practices to enable detection and mediation of real-time environmental and welfare concerns and to equip producers with affordable, accurate, and easy-to-use tools to improve production sustainability. The goal of this symposium is to highlight current state-of-the-art precision grazing and digital ranching tools, techniques, and platforms under study and in development for application on extensive rangelands. The session will be broadly targeted toward scientists, government agencies, and producers, all of whom are presumed to benefit from precision grazing technologies. The morning session of the Precision Grazing symposium will feature a suite of rangeland scientists investigating various precision grazing tools including virtual fencing, tri-axial accelerometers, and grazing detection instruments, as well as producer outlooks on digital ranching necessities. The afternoon session will feature work conducted by the Sustainable Southwest Beef Coordinated Agricultural Project which is aimed at developing an integrated precision grazing system and dashboard that can track cattle and sheep welfare and geolocation, body condition scores, and other ranch infrastructure in near real time in various production systems.