DEVELOPMENT OF A BEEF CATTLE SUSTAINABILITY CHECKSHEET FOR USE BY PRODUCERS AND EDUCATORS

摘要

Through a SARE grant, a beef cattle sustainability check sheet to allow producers and educators to assess the sustainability of a cow-calf program has been developed by a group of producers, extension agents, NRCS personnel and NCAT/ATTRA technical specialists. The check sheet contains more than 200 questions intended to assess economic productivity an environmental well being of a farm. The goal of the check sheet is to stimulate critical thinking by asking a series of questions. As the producer andeducator work through the check sheet, items needing attention are checked to determine information the producer needs to achieve the goals of the farm and family. Sections of the check sheet are as follows: Inventory of farm resources, Cattle and forage management (herd health and reproductive management; breeding, genetics, and selection program; nutrition management), Farm management (records, farm planning, marketing), Farm goals, Assessment of individual pastures, Assessment of soils, Assessment of watershed. Workshops have been taught at several locations to train educators/farmers to use the check sheet. The check sheet is available through ATTRA, either in the written form (call 1-800-346-9140) or from the web site (www.attra.org).