GOATS ON FAR WESTERN RANGES. 9 



and fall. It is unnecessary, however, to give the entire summer-and- 

 fall range a rest from grazing during the growing season. If it is 

 stocked so as to prevent overgrazing, and if grazing is deferred on 

 successive parts until after seed maturity and then the surplus forage 

 utilized, all of the forage ma} 7 be fully grazed and the vegetation 

 maintained in a state capable of maximum production. 



This system is known as " the deferred and rotation system of 

 grazing." 1 For example, in the Southwest the summer-and-fall 

 ranges are grazed from about June 1 to November 1, or approxi- 

 mately five months. The greater part of the principal forage species 

 have matured seed by September 1. Grazing, .then, should be de- 

 ferred on certain successive parts until some time after this date. 



To apply successfully the deferred and rotation system of grazing 

 three points must be observed. First, the grazing must be distributed 

 so as to avoid concentration to the point of overstocking. To do 

 this with herds of about 1,200 grown goats will require the use of 

 about 20 bed grounds on the summer-and-fall ranges. Second, the 

 goats must be grazed quietly on range adjacent to each of the bed 

 grounds, and different parts of the range must be grazed at different 

 times of the period. This can easily be done by using 20 bed grounds. 

 To use all the summer-and-fall range throughout the entire grazing 

 period should not be attempted. Third, instead of using the bed 

 grounds in the same order year after year, rotation in time of use by 

 groups of four bed grounds each must be practiced. 



This plan would make possible the division of the summer-and- 

 fall range into five parts of equal carrying capacity, each part suit- 

 able for a month's use. Two parts, each containing four bed grounds, 

 could then be protected from grazing until after September 1 each 

 year. Each part grazed in any month for any given year should be 

 grazed a month earlier in the succeeding year, except the part grazed 

 first which would then be grazed last. For example, if the parts are 

 designated by A, B, C, D, and E, in any year A, B, and C may be 

 grazed during June, July, and August, respectively, leaving D and 

 E to be grazed in September and October after seed maturity ; then 

 in the succeeding year B, C, and D would be grazed in June, July, 

 and August, respectively, leaving E and A to be grazed in September 

 and October, and so on, This would allow the forage around the 

 four bed grounds grazed last each year a second year of protection 

 until after seed maturity, and would give the seedlings from the 

 first j'ear's crop of seed a good chance to become established. Such 

 a grazing system results in a five-year rotation with each fifth of the 



1 This system is described in detail by Arthur W. Sampson, " Natural -Revegetation of 

 Range Lands Based upon Growth Requirements and Life History of the Vegetation," 

 Journal of Agricultural Research, U. S. Dept. Agri., Vol. Ill, No. 2 (Nov. 16, 1914), and 

 by James T. Jardine, " Improvement and Management of Native Pastures in the West," 

 U. S. Dept. Agri., Yearbook 1915, pp. 299-310. 



