The Future of Grazing Research.

The value of grazing experiments is not in dispute. They provide animal-based comparisons of potential cultivars, guidelines for grazing management, and information on the biology and sustainability of grasslands. Plant-animal interactions are complex, and grazing experiments can define input-output relationships that cannot be quantified satisfactorily in laboratory, greenhouse, or clipping studies. There are many challenges to proper conduct of grazing studies including: availability and cost of sufficient and suitable livestock, land, and equipment; difficulties associated with measurement of key variables; and resultant limitations in power of statistical tests and ability to establish causal relationships. Increasingly the most serious challenges to the future of grazing research are not the lack of important research questions but the lack of research scientists, facilities, and funding. Reduction in number of grazing scientists has been ongoing for decades. It is not yet certain if our fate is that of the dinosaurs or, more optimistically, that of plant breeders whose numbers plummeted but now are experiencing resurgence as their value is better appreciated. If there is to be a future for grazing research, there must be a future for grazing scientists and facilities. It is incumbent upon those doing grazing research to better demonstrate its value to policy makers, producers, and our own administrators. Specifically, we must establish direct lines of communication with producers through field days, advisory committees, etc. to strengthen our base of support in the production community. Policy makers must see us as a source of credible, unbiased information. University administration needs to see value in our science and in our relationships with end users. At present the future for grazing research appears bleak, but it is our responsibility to provide value with our science and communicate its importance to those who influence or make decisions regarding positions, facilities, and funding.