Timetable of Work PlanMay 1999 - Purchase GPS equipment and conduct pilot study of system in USA.
September 2000 - Transfer equipment back Israel. September 1999 - Transfer GPS and vibracorder equipment to Israel. USA PI (Williams) travel to Israel to assist with setting up GPS system and vibracorders and be instructed by Israeli collaborators about pedometer and HR systems. October 1999 - May 2000 - Conduct first year of integrated grazing behavior monitoring studies in Israel.
June 2000 - Transfer equipment back to USA. Israel Cooperator (Gutman) travel to US to assist in modifying sampling procedures if necessary and to learn how to use GIS software to begin initial analysis of Israel data.
July - September 2000 - Conduct first year of integrated grazing behavior monitoring study in USA.
Facilities October 2000 - May 2001 - Conduct second year of integrated grazing behavior monitoring study in Israel. June 2001 - Transfer equipment back to USA.
July - September 2001- Conduct second year of integrated grazing behavior monitoring study in USA.
October 2001 - May 2001 - Summarize and report data from two years of grazing behavior studies and conduct third year in Israel if necessary and additional funding available.
USA
The Subtropical Agricultural Research Station in Brooksville, Florida, USA is a federal facility with program jointly supported and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service and the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The Station has about 1,560 ha of which about 1,295 ha are in permanent pasture. There are adequate facilities and infra structure (fences, pens, scales, water, etc.) for conducting the proposed grazing behavior studies. Currently, there are about 500 head of brood cows and heifers associated with various research projects at STARS. Breeds under evaluation include Romosinuano, Angus, and Brahman. The Station is equipped with all equipment for routine chemical and physical analysis of forage, feed, and animal tissue. Equipment for on site processing and analysis of research data are available and include a VAX 4000-200 computer and 13 micro or lap top computers.
Israel
The Karei Deshe Experimental Range Station serves as a center for studies of grazing and ecology on ranges in eastern Galilee and the Golan plateau in Israel. The experiment station has a herd of about 1100 cattle utilizing about 1400 ha. This herd is composed of pure and crossbred cattle similar to those currently being used commercially in Israel. The station is equipped with laboratory for making basic plant and animal measurements. Adequate infrastructure (i.e., roads, fences, water, etc.) and computer facilities are available for the proposed work.