PALATABILITY OF MATURE FORAGE 75 



and a second area, of sufficient size to accomodate the stock from 

 the time of the ripening of the seed to the end of the grazing 

 season, is protected until the forage has matured. (5) Alter- 

 nating the grazing after seed maturity from one area to another 

 is continued, not only during the period required for the re- 

 stocking of each selected area, but even after the deferred por- 

 tions have been fully revegetated. This plan not only keeps the 

 vegetation vigorous at all times, but results in the formation 

 of an occasional seed crop. 



Palatability of Mature Forage. — It is claimed by some that 

 forage on areas where grazing is deferred until after seed matu- 

 rity is " dry and tough " and can not be utilized to advantage. 

 That this contention is unfounded is seen in the fact that stock 

 of all classes do well on suitable, well-watered winter range, 

 where, after several months of existence on matured forage, the 

 animals are content and in good condition of flesh. Moreover, 

 on the average mountain summer range, very little succulent 

 forage is available in the autumn after the advent of killing 

 frosts. Furthermore, as indicated, there is a distinct advantage 

 in having a reserved area of virgin forage upon which the animals 

 may feed during the latter part of the grazing season. The per- 

 enm'al grasses and the various other plants that are highly pala- 

 table when green are generally grazed with considerable avidity 

 after the herbage is air-cured. The leafage of herbaceous plants 

 that is " cured on the ground," however, varies considerably 

 both in palatabihty and in availability. The leaves of some of 

 the more succulent broad-leaved herbs have a tendency to sepa- 

 rate from the stem as soon as they dry up. In grasses, on the 

 other hand, the leaf blades are persistent and generally remain 

 intact, and hence are available for grazing until the plant as a 

 whole undergoes decomposition. 



As a rule, lambs do not maintain their plump " baby " con- 

 dition so well on mature forage as on an abundance of succulent 

 feed; but they harden on dry forage, and therefore hold up well 

 on a drive and in transportation to market.^ Western lambs, 



' Douglas, L. H., "Deferred and Rotation Grazing, Hayden National Forest, 

 Wyoming." Nat'l Wool Grower, Vol. 5, No. 10, 1915. 



