California Sheep Academy
PI: Roger Ingram, County Director/Livestock & NR Advisor, Placer County-ANR
Co-PI: John Harper, County Director/Livestock & NR Advisor, Mendocino County-ANR
Stephanie Larson, Livestock & NR Advisor, Sonoma County-ANR
The purpose the sheep academy was to teach, demonstrate and provide practical experience in using sheep to reduce fuel loads and control invasive plants. The funding from RREA enabled a live-in course called The California Sheep Academy and emphasized the practical application of research based grazing principles using sheep. Participants worked in teams and each team received a flock of fifty ewes to graze.
Evaluations indicated all participants would recommend the course to others. The greatest understanding from this course was: sheep grazing behavior; five principles of controlled grazing; determining carrying capacity and stocking rate; sheep nutrition, supplementation and body condition scoring; developing a monitoring program and ability to plan and manage a sustainable sheep grazing program.
Quotes from Program Participants
"Very informative. By using the tools given in this course I will be able to make dramatic improvements in pasture health and productivity."
"Always something new from the teaching staff as well as the participants."
"The academy is full of ideas to implement on our operation. It will be a matter of picking and choosing which ideas to implement first."
"It will change my operation."
"I learned more about how to implement a grazing plan and many other things."
"Very informative. By using the tools given in this course I will be able to make dramatic improvements in pasture health and productivity."
"I think this is a good time to have it."
Images:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Pre and Post Test Results.
These statements received the most % improvement – statements were ranked 1-5 with 1 being no understanding and 5 being a lot of understanding
My understanding of planning an area to graze with sheep – score increased from 2.4 to 3.71 – 52.9% increase
My understanding of the 5 principles of controlled grazing – score increased from 2.1 to 4 - 86.7% increase
My understanding of how carrying capacity and stocking rate can be determined when grazing sheep – score increased from 2.3 to 3.71 -62.5% increase
My ability to develop a monitoring program fro my grazing area – score increased from 2.3 to 3.71 - 62.5% increase
