Not only will the donated females be key to the integrated research in Western cow-calf production systems that will be conducted at the Salmon-area center, but the cows and heifers are essential to the UI’s eventual ownership of the 924-acre ranch.

The Auen Foundation donated use of the former Hot Springs Ranch to the university last fall. In 2004—after the UI has met performance objectives for management, research and education—the foundation will begin transferring ownership to the university. Among those objectives is building a herd of 350 to 400 cows, 100 of which must be donated by the public.

“The university is committed to making this ranch a model research unit,” says Dick Battaglia, the center’s superintendent and head of the UI Department of Animal and Veterinary Science. “In Idaho, it takes about 250-300 cows to have an economically viable unit for a single family. It takes about 400 cows for researchers to compare reproductive, nutritional and health-management regimes.”

In September 2000, the UI transferred 66 crossbred cows—all of which have since calved—from the Moscow campus. Another shipment—18 bred commercial heifers and three clean-up bulls—arrived from Moscow in April. The university is also currently leasing 27 cows that were on the ranch before management changed hands.

            Battaglia expects research and extension efforts at the Cummings Center to include beef genetics, selection, reproduction, cow-calf nutrition, grazing management, forage production systems, irrigation management and alternative forage crops.

“It’s a great cause,” says Sara Braasch, executive vice-president of the Idaho Cattle Association. “Once the herd is fully stocked, the ranch will be able to do some very practical, hands-on research that will benefit producers everywhere. We hope that ranchers in all parts of Idaho will be part of this exciting project.”

            At Nelson Angus in Salmon, Steve and Janna Herbst donated a bred heifer this spring because “we want to improve the quality of beef that America eats, and we’re interested in supporting universities that are conducting research and development toward that goal. This center is in line with those efforts,” says Steve Herbst.

Nelson Angus’ contribution has already doubled: the donated cow dropped a healthy, vigorous calf three days after she arrived at the Cummings Center.

Jerry Gray, Northwest regional manager for Grand Laboratories in Nampa, will donate the value of a heifer to the Cattle Drive this fall. “It’s just awesome that we have a university involved in a project like this,” Gray says. “We’re willing and able and would like to partner with the university in researching new and existing animal health problems. Everything that universities and private companies can do to help the agricultural industry become more productive and profitable makes everybody a winner.”

A 12-member producer advisory board, whose formation was also stipulated by the Auen Foundation, has been in place since the UI assumed operation of the ranch and is already meeting quarterly. Board member Laurie Lickley of Jerome believes that contributing heifers to the Cummings Center will help involve producers in the center’s decision-making process and enhance their ability to benefit directly and indirectly from the center’s work.

 “Active giving by the producers is absolutely key to our success,” says Battaglia. “It will bring up our numbers quickly and enable us to start making a research impact right away—and it will also confirm producers’ interest in and commitment to what we are doing.”

For more information on the Cattle Drive or to make arrangements to donate heifer calves, bred heifers or bred cows, call Battaglia at 208/885-6345 in Moscow or write him at dickb@uidaho.edu.