Working Ranch Magazine January/February 2025

conservation efforts, “It can have application in environments where we’re trying to keep cattle out of a certain area, like riparian areas or fragile ecosystems.” says Berger. Wildlife and ecological consider ations are important, particularly on public lands where uses and interests aren’t singular. “One of the drawbacks is that cross-fencing can be a barrier to wildlife movement, which we cer tainly have a lot of in Colorado,” says Bruegger. This is an area where vir tual fencing may be less restrictive, or where cross-fencing in any form may not be the answer. As you determine whether to imple ment cross-fencing in its many forms or not, start with the end in mind. Bruegger encourages producers to ask themselves, “If your goal is really to be able to have access to more forage, could that be done another way? Could it be done with salt placement, mineral sup plement placement, or through water?” For permittee holders on public lands, cross fencing is likely not the most optimal solution, “A drawback with cross fencing is it can be quite expensive to implement, and it can be expensive to maintain, and that may be especially true in Colorado or other mountainous areas where we’re talking about thousands of acres.” In such scenarios, going back to the basics of water supply, salt and minerals, and range riders, might be the most practical and efficient way of managing grazing to benefit your herd and pasture. “Think about the mechanism for how you get to the end goal, and then how can you adjust your grazing to achieve that goal?” says Bruegger. Just as with any other improvement to your ranching operation, consider your individual circumstances. Your profitability, as well as your livestock’s and the land’s wellbeing, will deter mine where to make changes. This will look different for each operation. As it has often been said, a rancher’s most valuable tool is a sharp pencil. Sit down, map it out, and consider if cross-fencing strategies may be ben eficial to your cattle operation. If so, grab the gloves and bulldogs.

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JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2025 I 25