Flexible stocking with Grass-Cast: A new grassland productivity forecast to translate climate outlooks for ranchers

Dannele Peck, Justin Derner, William Parton, Melannie Hartman and Brian Fuchs

Western Economics Forum, 2019, vol. 17, issue 01

Abstract: Highly variable precipitation in western U.S. rangelands makes it challenging for ranchers to match animal demand to forage supply. Flexible stocking can enhance matching, thereby reducing losses during drought and increasing profit during wet years. Yet the benefits of flexible stocking depend on the availability of highly accurate and applicable seasonal climate outlooks. The availability and skill of seasonal climate outlooks is summarized, revealing shortcomings that make flexible stocking less practical and less beneficial. A new grassland productivity forecast, Grass-Cast, can facilitate flexible stocking by translating climate outlooks into more applicable summer forage outlooks, and its strengths and limitations are described.

Keywords: Livestock; Production/Industries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:weecfo:287342

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.287342

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