Principal Investigator: Josh Davy, UCCE Tehama County
This study is a fully replicated evaluation of the additional weight gain obtained by the complete renovation and planting of a dryland perennial grass pasture over traditional adjacent annual rangeland. We will plant three 10 acre pastures with summer dormant 1 flecha' tall fescue. The first two years of the trial will be devoted to the full establishment of the planted stand. The grazing trial will begin in year three. We will attempt to obtain the pounds of beef produced per acre in each treatment and apply that to current cattle market prices. The results will provide rangeland managers with the economic considerations necessary to make local decisions on the feasibility of planting permanent dryland grass pastures.
