Understanding and modifying animal behavior can improve the cost-effectiveness of running feedlot operations, healing riparian areas, improving biodiversity, protecting wildlife habitat, and reducing losses due to poisonous plants. At Utah State University, Research Associate Sheldon Atwood and Assistant Professor Nicole McCoy are examining how changing animal and human behavior impacts economics. Their findings include:

Commercial feedlots can reduce costs by offering animals a choice of foods rather than a total mixed ration. When allowed to choose foods, both cattle and bison cost less to feed per pound of gain than animals consuming a single ration intended to fatten them for slaughter. In experiments with sheep, those offered a choice of three different foods gained weight faster than those provided the usual pre-mixed ration.
The costs of restoring riparian health in arid systems can be reduced sharply by implementing behavior-conscious management practices. Bob Budd at The Nature Conservancy’s Red Canyon ranch near Lander, Wyo., uses knowledge of behavior to train cattle to use uplands and spend less time near streams and waterways.
Productivity lost to brush encroachment may be restored and maintained and biodiversity enhanced at a cost lower than previously believed possible. Managers at Deseret Ranch near Woodruff, Utah, are working with researchers to teach livestock to mix their diets and consume more sagebrush. Increasing the amount of sagebrush livestock eat will increase plant species diversity, improve habitat for sage grouse, and increase the profitability of the ranch.
Altering the behavior of managers may be more economical than changing the behavior of the creatures they manage when it comes to impacts from poisonous plants. Atwood and Dr. Jim Pfister of the USDA Poisonous Plants Laboratory are developing a decision support tool for producers who have problems with poisonous plants.

Atwood is exploring these topics as part of his ongoing work and doctoral thesis “Ecological and Economic Implications of Applying Principles of Behavior to Natural Resource Management” to be completed in 2004. He is also working with Dave Pratt of “Ranching for Profit” to help producers see the economic benefits of implementing behavioral practices in their operations and enable them to make direct comparisons between the operations Atwood analyzes and their own operations.

If you have ideas for additional analyses or would like to discuss any issues related to economics and behavior, Atwood would like to hear from you. He can be reached at email: sba@cc.usu.edu; phone (435) 797-2565; or by mail at Department of Forest, Range and Wildlife Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5230.

Other areas where implementation of behavioral principles can improve profitability and environmental integrity but are not currently part of Atwood’s doctoral work include:

Controlling weeds through mixed-species grazing. In North Dakota, proper grazing by sheep and goats has been shown to restore 90% of the forage productivity in five years. The use of chemicals at this scale is expensive and bug releases are problematic, leaving proper grazing as the most economical and effective alternative.
Rapid rotation grazing can improve profitability on northern High Plains ranches, reducing the pressure on ranchers to abandon their lifestyle and sell to developers.
Using grazing to enhance or create migratory waterfowl habitat near urban areas is less expensive than conservation through purchase of land costing in excess of $40,000/acre.

Presentations

Atwood, S.B., F.D. Provenza, and R.E. Banner. 2003. Potential impacts of applying behaviour principles in land management. African J. Range & Forage Sci. 20:223. (Abstract)

Atwood, S.B., F.D. Provenza, L. Dziba, and N. McCoy. 2003. Having it all - ecology and economics: Impacts of applying behavior versus technology in land management. Poster presented at the International Rangeland Congress. Durban, South Africa. July.

Personnel:

Sheldon Atwood
Research/Extension Associate,
Rangeland Resources
Utah State University