RANGE MANAGEMENT IN NEW MEXICO. 29 



The necessity of allowing feed to mature. — It is a well-known botan- 

 ical fact that in order for ordinary green plants to grow they must 

 have leaves, since the food from which new growth is made is elabo- 

 rated mostly in the leaves. This point has been emphasized by 

 various writers, but no definite data as to the exact effect of pas- 

 turage upon the quantity of feed produced have been obtained till 

 recently. Studies carried on by Drs. Briggs and Shantz have given 

 some very definite data for alfalfa. From their work it appears 

 probable that whenever range land is closely pastured during the 

 growing season its total productivity is automatically reduced 

 approximately two-thirds, or possibly more. Or, stated generally, 

 close grazing during the growing season reduces the carrying capacity 

 about two-thirds. 



One way to dimmish this effect is to divide the range into a number 

 of relatively small pastures and give each pasture a rest in turn. 

 Each pasture must be given as long a time to grow its crop as is 

 possible, keeping hi mind all the time the fact that the stock must 

 grow as rapidly as possible. It is probably better to put a large 

 number of animals on a relatively small acreage for a short time, 

 thus giving the plants a long period of growth. This procedure makes 

 a larger number of watering places necessary. 



The utilization of summer feed. — Subdividing the range is beneficial 

 in another way. In many places there are areas that produce forage 

 which is good feed only while it is green. On other near-by areas 

 forage which cures standing occurs. The latter is the natural winter 

 feed of the region, but these plants are usually preferred by animals 

 while they are green. Thus, if the animals are allowed to range 

 freely and select their feed they eat the winter feed in the summer 

 time. From the standpoint of sustenance the summer feed is all 

 right in the summer, but poor in the winter. Hence, good manage- 

 ment requires that it be eaten while at its best. Similarly, the winter 

 feed should be saved till the winter time. Without fences such 

 management is impossible, and the selective action of the stock is 

 always operating to destroy the best feed on the range, for they 

 always graze it more closely, even when the range is properly stocked. 



In the higher mountain country some of the range is available only 

 in the summer, because it is covered with snow in the winter. There 

 is some tendency for free-ranging stock to go to the higher levels in 

 the summer, which is advantageous to the stockman. While cattle 

 will climb the hills if they have to, they will congregate in the 

 open valleys and parks as long as the feed lasts, unless they are 

 fenced out. But the valleys and parks may be pastured earlier and 

 later than the mountain sides and should be fenced. Many such 

 treeless areas are capable of cultivation or may be turned into 

 meadows where a good crop of hay may be grown. 



