There is a movement in ranching called Holistic Resource Management or HRM which could be the key to saving the American west's rangeland. Erosion and desertification has become a huge threat and happens when land is overgrazed, over tilled or generally mismanaged. In America alone, 223 million acres have turned to dessert with almost 500 million acres in danger. American range land has become a point of contention between ranchers and environmentalists and yet HRM offers a way to satisfy both groups. Ranchers do not want their land to turn to desert and the same is true of environmentalists--- the key is proper grazing. Intensive grazing of large ruminants, like cattle, is essential to combating desertification. Many scientists warn that the west is becoming drier, with many drier years ahead which makes rethinking and rebuilding our range land even more important. Historically, Bison used to roam the west and were an integral part grassland health. By employing the holistic resource management method we can use the same principles to ensure that the American grasslands are preserved all the while helping ranchers raise cattle.
The secret to this whole system is movement--- the movement of hooves to be exact. Allan Savory, a holistic resource management pioneer and African native, was fascinated by the decay process in what he coined “brittle” and “non-brittle” environments. Our northeast, with its lush pastures and cold winters, would be considered a non-brittle environment where the decay process is quick, a cow pie is rapidly absorbed into the eco system, and the pasture is robust. In the Northeast, a pasture will turn to forest if a farmer does not manage it but in the west it will turn to dessert. The American west is a brittle system where decay is slow and laborious and grassland, without the help of large hoved ruminants, is almost impossible. However, with proper management whether it be with cattle or bison, grasslands can not only prosper, they can withstand prolonged drought. Properly managed grassland are natures defense against erosion and desertification. The American west was home to bison before the western cattle was introduced, there were severe droughts and wild fires but the grasslands persisted and sustained millions of bison. The reason was that they bison would eat only 75 percent of the grass, and leave fertilizer in the form of bison pies and then break up topsoil with their weighty hooves. In there wake an ideal seedbed was left and the grass flourished. They were helping the “brittle” environment to decay, making the grasslands more productive and staving off the desert. The HRM method of ranching relies on these same principles instead of predators moving the large herds of bison, the rancher does, using fencing and rotational grazing practices that help the decay processes. It is a beautiful system, one that is based on balance.
Grass-fed cows are happier, healthier and do not require hormones or antibiotics to stay healthy.
