RESTING NATIVE PASTURE FOR RANGE IMPROVEMENT 



RESTING is keeping all livestock off a pastxire during all or part of one 

 growing season. This is also called "deferred grazing," "Rotational de- 

 ferment" covers several years in order to give long rests to different 

 pastures in successive years. In "Rotation grazing" the livestock are rotated 

 from grazed to firesh pasture at short intervals and each pasture receives one 

 or many short rests in one year. The last is usually applied only on taine 

 pastures, 



WHY REST A RANGE 



(a) Ranges are usually rested to ii^>rove poor and fair condition ranges 

 to a higher condition and greater production, 



(b) It provides reserve feed for winter months and drought periods. 



(c) It allows the better grasses and other choice plants tot 



1, Make more and deeper roots, 



2, Orow longer leaves and taller seed stalks. 



3, Cover the ground so snow, rainwater, and soil 

 won't be lost. 



U, Produce seed, 



5. Establish seedlings, 



6. Increase size of old plants by stooling, under- 

 ground stems, or runners, 



7. Outgrow and crowd out inferior vegetation. 



(d) It is often cheaper and better than artificial reseeding, 



HOW TO REST RANGES 



(1) Rest some of the better pastures first because they will improve 

 the quickest and can then carry the load while the poor pastures 

 are given the longer rests they require. 



(2) Rest a pastxire during actual growing season of the kinds of plants 

 you want to increase. Learn time of year they develop and mature 

 seed, or how ceirtain kinds can be made to spread by xinderground stems. 



(3) Remove all livestock from pasture to be rested, (A few left in pas- 

 txxre will graze areas and kinds of plants most in need of rest, ) 



(U) To inprove ranges in a low state of piroductivity may require resting 

 for two or more consecutive growing seasons. 



(5) Do not overload pastures being grazed with stock from rested pastures. 



(6) Continue range improvement of rested pastures by proper stocking. 



(7) The kind of growing season determines: ^ 



a. Amount of rest needed, (n_-*<<;^^^*^ 



b. Number of pastures that /f'utij i/\ 

 can be rested, j \ A-IJ, / \ ^ 



c. Rate of range improvement. iiM"— ^(/f \j.,^ 



' QBASI HIIM A IMT TOO 



Your local Soil Conservation Service technicians will be glad to discuss and 

 help you fit this job to your own land, vegetation, and plan of operations, 



u. s. DEPARTMtrrr OF AQ8ICULTURE MONTANA MT-JS-17 (Rge.) 



SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE MUIN I MINM 



