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UNIVERSITY 



OF ARIZONA : 

 AGRICULTURAL 

 EXPERIMENT STATION 



TIMELY HINTS FORFARMERS 



No. 135 



FEBRUARY 1, 1918 



SOAPWEED OR PALMILLA (YUCCA HLATA) AS 

 EMERGENCY FORAGE 



In parts of southern Arizona, particularly about Willcox. some 

 stockmen are feeding the chopped stems of the plant commonly known 

 as soapweed, yucca or palmilla as an emergency forage to cattle. As 

 many as 1500 head of cattle in the Sulphur Spring Valley were fed 

 on soapweed or yucca stems, at least as a partial diet, during the past 

 winter and spring, and it is stated that about one-half that number were 

 fed during the previous winter season, i. e., 1915-1916. In some in- 

 stances this feed constituted an almost exclusive diet, since the open 

 ranges were very closely grazed, as is generally the case at this season 

 of the year. In other cases cattle were fed, in addition, some kind of 

 concentrate or else grazed in winter pastures where there was consid- 

 erable feed. Various statements have been made concerning the relative 

 feeding value of yucca or soapweed forage. Some of these have un- 

 doubtedly been overestimated, but the general impression is that the 

 experiments have been successful and that the feeding will be continued. 



In company with Professor G. W. Barnes, livestock specialist of the 

 University Extension Service, the writer visited the country about 

 Willcox last March and made observations on the preparation and 

 feeding of the yucca forage to stock. The winter of 1916-1917 was 

 colder than usual and the spring was backward. At the time that the 

 visit was made there was little fresh growth upon the range and some 

 of this, unfortunately, was loco. The perennial grasses had scarcely 

 begun growth. It was stated that Messrs. Cook and Johnson, near 

 Willcox, were feeding about 500 head of cattle exclusively on yucca 

 forage, and W. H. McKittrick was feeding about 300 head. At the 

 J. H. ranch, the manager, Mr. Brookerson, was feeding about 300 

 animals of all sizes. The latter were grazing on a winter pasture about 

 two miles from the J. H. ranch and they were given all the chopped 

 yucca stems they would eat in addition to the grass they grazed. 



