Data tracking in livestock production to support economic security
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Clinical Sciences,
Statewide
- Agriculture
- Statewide
Primary Topic:
Agriculture
Other Topics:
Community & Economic Development, Food Systems
Lead Mentor:
Frank Garry
Professor, Clinical Sciences, Extension Specialist (Veterinarian)
Internship Overview:
Cattle ranching is a decreasingly profitable profession across the American West and in Colorado as well. There are a number of forces that can lead to poor animal performance and erode profits; extreme weather events, disease, predation, decreased pregnancy rates, etc. Tracking animal performance is an increasingly important tool for identifying and managing ranch profits, but the barriers to collecting and analyzing these data are high. This project aims to work with livestock producers across Colorado to assess the state of current data collection practices (what data are currently collected and how that information is tracked) so we can identify important data gaps and new avenues for appropriate data collection strategies.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
The student will visit ranches and collect data from livestock producers about ranch performance over time. We are trying to determine typical variation in cattle production and distinguish the potential impacts of outside forces (e.g., carnivore presence and predation, extreme weather, etc.) on the performance of the cattle and ranches. The intern will collect data from ranches across the state, and with the help of the mentors, they will evaluate data to understand inherent variability in livestock productivity versus perturbations to the systems (e.g., wolf activity, drought, etc.). This will involve getting private data from the individual ranches about their herd.
Ranchers track information about their cattle such as weight, health status, pregnancy. Often this information is written in record books and not easily managed or assessed. The intern will collect this information in whatever form the rancher maintains it and transfer it to standard databases so we can assess current performance and changes in performance over time. Although we are not collecting data on human subjects specifically, the data will be collecting about cattle performance is private and could potentially be identifiable based on the data we are collecting (e.g., ranch size and geographic area); to ensure we are following all of the necessary protocols, we have already received IRB approval for the project. The ranchers we will work with/visit are interested in the project, voluntarily participating, and are already connected with the local field extension agents. The CSU Extension field personnel will assist the intern with connections and
Ranchers track information about their cattle such as weight, health status, pregnancy. Often this information is written in record books and not easily managed or assessed. The intern will collect this information in whatever form the rancher maintains it and transfer it to standard databases so we can assess current performance and changes in performance over time. Although we are not collecting data on human subjects specifically, the data will be collecting about cattle performance is private and could potentially be identifiable based on the data we are collecting (e.g., ranch size and geographic area); to ensure we are following all of the necessary protocols, we have already received IRB approval for the project. The ranchers we will work with/visit are interested in the project, voluntarily participating, and are already connected with the local field extension agents. The CSU Extension field personnel will assist the intern with connections and
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
Colorado Ranchers
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
There are a number of different skillsets the student will develop in this internship. One group of skillsets will be related to research design and application. The intern will learn about collecting data, creating and maintaining databases, and summarizing research findings. The intern will also gain subject area expertise in beef cattle ranching operations related to animal performance and ranching practices in Colorado. The student will get to travel around the state and meet with numerous livestock producers, CSU Extension agents, and other stakeholders related to livestock production in Colorado.
