Cowboys on horseback riding among their herd across wide open prairie grass is the picture most people have when they think of ranching. But here in Washington, just like our stunning variety of landscapes, cattle ranching looks a little different. But whether they are keeping watch on their herd grazing up a coulee or through a heritage timber stand, Washington’s beef ranchers are committed to raising cattle with safe, humane and environmentally sustainable methods.

Kyler Beard, a first-generation cattle rancher in the Ellensburg area, is what most would call a classic cowboy. He wears a cowboy hat, he rides a horse and his dogs are never far away. He’s happiest when in the saddle with just the cattle, grass and sky to keep him company.

But Kyler is also an innovator when it comes to ranching. He believes in embracing technology in addition to traditional low-stress cattle management and regenerative grazing practices to ensure his cattle work to restore the soil and sustain a healthy ecosystem.

A model of sustainable ranching

Using cutting-edge virtual fencing technology while his cattle herd grazes in the Teanaway Community Forest, Beard is partnering with several state agencies to explore ways to reduce labor costs, improve the lives of the cattle, eliminate high severity fire fuel in the forest and support a model of sustainable ranching within a diverse ecosystem.

In 2013, Washington State protected 50,241 acres in the Teanaway River Basin. This land became the Teanaway Community Forest, co-managed by the Washington Departments of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife. It’s a working landscape with some permitted grazing and logging, as well as a major headwater for the Yakima River Basin and a wilderness magnet for all types of outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife.

This summer Kyler and his cattle were invited in as a management tool by the Department of Natural Resources to specifically graze grasses and shrubs to help reduce high severity fire hazard in the forest.

Kyler uses a model of cattle and land management commonly referred to as “regenerative grazing” and believes this is a key to restoring the health of grasslands, which need the action of grazing to encourage new growth and hoof steps to aerate and recycle nutrients in the soil. For him, it is important to remember that, “every plant has a purpose” in the landscape.

A critical part of his regenerative practice is timing soil and plant recovery periods, which means moving the cattle frequently and planning the grazing rotation out over multiple years. While regenerative grazing is not a new approach for most cattlemen, the science behind the practice is constantly evolving and an ideal opportunity to merge ranching tradition with emerging technology, like virtual fencing.

“It’s all about grazing and then allowing the grass to recover,” Beard explains. “One big herd can graze down a large area very quickly, then we can move them to another area with the virtual fencing. We did this for two months in the summer, then left early enough for regrowth to begin this fall.” Beard works constantly from his laptop and from horseback to monitor the cattle and their grazing areas, adjusting the virtual fence boundaries as needed.

Virtual fencing technology works through collars worn by each cow, connected to a program which delivers real-time data on each animal’s health and location, and is linked to the fence boundaries which he builds on his laptop. The cattle know where the boundary is based on a pulse system in the collars. Beard explains that moving cattle in and out of grazing areas quickly is vital for “regenerative grazing, with long rest periods. It helps the soil, grows more grass and feeds more cows. The real reason we want to manage our cows is to help regenerate the grasses and vegetation, which starts with the soil. The idea is to get everything grazed off and then give it enough time to recover.”

With the ability to move the virtual fence easily and quickly, the grazing rotation becomes very efficient for both the cowboys and the cows.

Helping the ecosystem thrive

Traditional fences make sense for keeping cattle where a rancher wants them to graze, but virtual fence technology is offering some solutions to the high cost of fence maintenance and eliminates the impact on the natural movement of wildlife, while protecting sensitive areas from disruption.

In Teanaway, Beard says, “The Fish and Game (Department) has spent a lot of effort rebuilding riparian and fish habitat. Those are areas we need to keep the cattle out of. The North Fork has lots of fish habitat that needs protecting, so this type of tech helps us keep our cows away from those waterways. This type of tech is really going to help us manage our cows for the whole ecosystem to thrive.”

Beard started cattle ranching on his own in 2014 and says he’s seen a shift in the industry: “Cattle are starting to be looked at as a tool to manage land, improve the soil and reduce fire hazards. We know we can make this a healthier forest for everyone to enjoy.” Surveying his herd of cattle happily grazing in the Teanaway Community Forest, Beard says, "Cows are gonna save the planet.”

For videos and more information on Kyler Beard and virtual fencing, visit wabeef.org