Performance Advantage of Wintering Cattle in California’s Sacramento Valley

Abstract

California’s diverse rangelands include forested, great basin, desert, coastal chaparral, and annual range types. Each of these range types requires livestock management unique to their ecology. The proximity of the state to Mexico and Hawaii has resulted in cattle from both places being shipped to California grass- lands. Many ranches in the mountainous areas of California, southern Oregon, and western Nevada ship cattle to the Cal- ifornia’s valley and foothill annual grasslands for the winter. The mild Mediterranean climate and winter forage produc- tion is thought to provide cheaper input costs and improved livestock production.  

DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v36i5_forero