Siskiyou County Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor
Position Description: This advisor will serve Siskiyou County focusing on livestock production
including nutrition, herd health, grazing management, genetic selection, reproductive efficiency, and
marketing. The natural resource component of this position will focus primarily on minimizing the
impact of livestock production systems on water quality, aquatic habitat, and wildlife while developing
livestock production strategies that enhance ecosystem services of range and pasture lands. A minimum
of an MS degree in animal science, rangeland management, or a closely related field is required. The
UCCE Office in Siskiyou is the headquarters for this position.
Justification: Beef cattle operations are critical to the economic viability of Siskiyou County (in fact,
there are more cows than people). The county ranks near the top in beef cattle numbers. The cattle
industry is a significant county-wide economic driver, especially since other industries like commercial
logging have mostly disappeared. Livestock production primarily occurs in three large valleys (Butte,
Shasta and Scott). In particular, producers in the Scott and Shasta Valleys are highly dependent upon
surface water to sustain irrigated pasture-based cattle operations. Irrigation water is to a great extent the
lifeblood of the local beef cattle industry, but as society places greater value on water and aquatic habitat
and regulatory mechanisms increase, the need for sound scientific information also increases to help
producers adapt. In addition to increasingly competitive markets, ranchers in these valleys are likely to
have more regulations and less certain supplies of irrigation water in the future and need CE expertise to
help them remain viable and competitive.
Siskiyou County occupies a geographically unique and vital position to the state’s water resources. The
headwaters of the Sacramento River system flow out of south Siskiyou County toward the Bay Delta
system. The northwest part of the County drains into the Klamath system, with significant runs of coho
salmon, a federally and state listed threatened species, and Chinook salmon. The interface of pasturebased beef production systems and water resources will be an important and highly visible role for UCCE
in the coming years. Already, the influence of livestock production on surface water quality and aquatic
habitats is an ongoing issue in the county. Most Siskiyou County rivers are listed as “impaired” on the
State’s 303(d) list, with TMDLs adopted; producers need assistance in developing and implementing
water quality plans to comply with evolving regulations. For these livestock operations to remain
economically viable, sustainable livestock production systems will be necessary. Producers are more
likely to incorporate management strategies that are regionally-specific, scientifically-evaluated and cost
effective.
Grass fed, natural and organic beef, are growing market sectors that have unmet research needs and
require different pasture management and animal science support. An important component of this
position is to evaluate value-added opportunities that could result in a higher net return for local ranches.
Producers need sound research-based information on grazing management, riparian protection, stockwater
systems, irrigation efficiency and genetic selection to sustainably produce livestock.
Extension: This position will extend science-based information to clientele on livestock management
practices to enhance production efficiency and ranch profitability and help minimize any negative impacts
associated with livestock production. Disseminating science-based information on livestock production
and restoration will increase agricultural and natural resource literacy. Managing ecosystems, while not a
new opportunity, is an area where UC is well positioned to provide leadership and generate success. Key
clientele groups include livestock producers, 4-H youth, public resource management agencies (NRCS,
California Fish and Wildlife, and US Forest Service, RCDs) and nonprofit conservation organizations
(such as The Nature Conservancy, local watershed councils). Collaboration with these groups will
identify issues and opportunities for extension of livestock and land management information using
seminars, workshops, field days, internet resources and producer-oriented and peer-reviewed publications.
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Research: This advisor will develop and evaluate livestock production systems, as well as pasture, range
and natural resource management practices and strategies that support the economic viability of livestock
enterprises while protecting or enhancing environmental quality. Water availability is a key issue due to
drought and new and increasing environmental restrictions on water use. Water issues threaten the
sustainability of many cattle operations because they rely so heavily on irrigated pastures for summer
grazing and to produce hay which is fed over the winter. Livestock production systems that are less water
dependent or make more efficient use of limited water are needed to improve long-term ranch viability.
Research is also needed to investigate livestock management practices that improve production efficiency
and the ranch profitability through improved cow herd reproduction, management of herd heath,
optimizing use of forage resources, etc. Publication outlets may include agricultural journals, California
Agriculture, ANR 8000 series publications, newsletters and popular press producer publications.
ANR Network: The Advisor is expected to develop strong programmatic ties with both Livestock and
Plant Science Advisors in the Intermountain area. Existing Livestock/ Natural Resources Advisors in the
intermountain sub-region are predominantly trained and focused on range management and natural
resource issues. The addition of a more animal-oriented Advisor would contribute to a more complete and
balanced team. This position will be supported by CE specialists and AES researchers at UCD (Animal
Science; School of Veterinary Medicine; Plant Science; Agriculture Economics; and Wildlife, Fisheries
and Conservation Biology) and by the UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy and
Management. There are immediate opportunities to collaborate with these campus-based colleagues on
existing projects focusing on animal genomics, grazing management, nutrient management, animal health
issues, invasive species and food safety. There is also strong Workgroup and Program Team support.
Network External to ANR: The external stakeholders for this position include landowners and
managers, government agencies, policy makers, College of the Siskiyous faculty, NGOs, private industry,
youth and the general public. Cattleman’s Association, the Farm Bureau and other agricultural and
conservation organizations strongly support this position.
Support: Although the CE Office in Siskiyou County is not one of the highest financially supported
offices in the state due to the economic status of the county, the county is extremely supportive of this
position and definitely provides an adequate level of support including office space, secretarial services,
storage, phone, and 4WD pickup trucks.
Other Support: Collaboration with CE and AES researchers and educators can be a source of significant
extramural funding from the USDA and other sources. For example, CE and AES researchers in the Plant
Science Department at UC Davis often secure competitive federal funding for integrated research,
outreach, and teaching for rangeland research. Most livestock advisors in the ANR Rangeland Watershed
Workgroup participate in these projects.
Location: The IM team considered a cross-county position with either Modoc or Shasta county but due to
the size of the industry, geographic area of the county (5th largest county), the topography and travel
distances, it was determined this was not feasible. An advisor in Siskiyou County is essential to address
the unique and challenging livestock production and environmental issues in this area.
Developed and proposed by: UCCE Siskiyou County Director Steve Orloff in cooperation with the
ANR Rangeland Watershed and the Livestock Production Systems workgroups and IM County Directors.
Siskiyou County Cattlemen’s Association, Farm Bureau and The Nature Conservancy all provided input
toward the development of this position. This position is supported by the Siskiyou County Supervisors,
the ANR Rangeland Watershed Workgroup, the Range and Forest Program Team and the Meat and Food
Safety Program Team.
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