Livestock
Grass-fed natural beef cattle are managed on the rangeland which affords bountiful views of the surrounding mountain landscape, Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The rangeland (including coastal prairie, grasslands, and coastal chaparral habitat), accounts for roughly 2000 acres, located primarily on the western side of the Scotts Creek watershed.
The resident "cow-calf" herd yields an average birth rate of 40 calves annually, sustaining a viable population for long term production. An additional 500 head of stocker of cattle are brought on site to gain weight throughout the year. Stocker cattle grow by an average of nearly 300 lbs. as they reach maturity on site. All cattle are managed utilizing "Planned Grazing" practices which monitor environmental conditions, (water, soil, and biodiversity) and time cattle movement to minimize impacts, promote native perennial grass diversity and ensure pasture recovery.
Each quarter Cal Poly students from the "Stocker Enterprise" program are invited to the ranch where they learn to assist operations, implement holistic management techniques and acquire hands-on skills to prepare for their professional endeavors in rangeland management and animal science disciplines. Through this program, students receive training for adaptive management, problem solving in the field, processing, and community relations and marketing to create a start-to-finish understanding of natural beef production. Swanton Pacific Ranch in particular trains students to consider availability of water, soil quality and livestock condition while supporting rangeland ecosystem processes and wildlife biodiversity.