INCREASED CATTLE PRODUCTION. 31 



increase in the calf crop will pay for the greater part, if not all, of 

 the increased expense. Marked improvement hi average grade is 

 noticeable among stock of the Jornada Reserve as a result of selling 

 off about 25 per cent of the poor-grade, off-colored, and otherwise 

 undesirable stock, and replacing them by good grade heifers. 



PREVENTION OF LOSS. 



The average loss of stock on the Jornada Range Reserve, June 1 

 to December 31, 1915, was at the rate of 1.9 per cent for a year; 

 the average loss in 1916 was 1.5 per cent. The average losses for 

 New Mexico are approximately 10.6 per cent for calves to 12 months 

 of age, 5.6 per cent for yearlings, and 5.8 per cent for other stock. 



The small loss at the Jornada Reserve is attributed to careful, 

 systematic vaccination against blackleg, to the reservation of grama- 

 grass range for poor stock during the critical spring months, to 

 feeding the animals a small quantity of cottonseed cake, and to 

 prevention of straying. 



In order to provide for extra range for the breeding stock in poor 

 years, one-third of the stock on a range unit should be steers. , It 

 is then possible to reduce the number of stock, when necessary, by 

 selling steers, without great sacrifice and without interfering with 

 the breeding stock. In good years the number of steers can be 

 increased and in bad years decreased. 



To provide against loss in extremely bad years, some land of 

 roughage to supplement the range forage, for feeding with cottonseed 

 cake or other concentrated feed, would be a decided advantage on 

 southwestern ranges. Ensilage made from soap weed (Yucca elata) 

 has been tried, and the results are promising, but not extensive 

 enough to warrant definite conclusions. 



Feeding cottonseed cake to calves weaned during the late fall, 

 winter, and Dearly spring is an important factor in cutting down loss 

 and increasing the size of the stock, as well as in increasing the calf 

 crop. Where this is done, young calves can be taken from poor 

 cows, thus reducing loss from starvation among both cows and calves 

 and stimulating earlier breeding. Indications are that such feeding 

 is a good business venture from the standpoint of increased value of 

 the calves, aside from decreasing the loss from starvation. 



Range feed not more than 2^ miles from water is a big factor in 

 cutting down loss from starvation, especially where little or no sup- 

 plemental feeding is done. 



The possibilities of decreasing loss justify more attention on the 

 part of stockmen to careful, systematic vaccination as a preventive of 

 blackleg and to picking out and feeding stock in need of special care. 



