46 BULLETIN 1031, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



two-thirds of the maximum grazing capacity as the basis of the per- 

 manent breeding herd 50 per cent should be used in future. This 

 percentage, about 2,000 head,^^ will be made up almost entirely of 

 cows of breeding age, bulls, saddle and work stock, and perhaps 

 about 3 per cent of heifers selected to replace loss and such cows as 

 must be removed from the herd on account of injury or other causes. 



With this number of stock and percentage of total stock for the 

 breeding herd combined with the data contained in figure 8, figure 

 9 has been prepared to show the breeding herd, the stock other than 

 breeding stock, and the total stock in relation to maximum condition 

 of the grama-grass range as shown by protected areas for the respec- 

 tive years. 



Figure 9 applies to the reserve for the period 1915 to 1919, in- 

 clusive. This covers conditions in the more nearh^ average year of 

 1915, which was about five years after the drought of 1908-1910 

 had broken and through the drought of 1916-1918. From data and 

 observations as to conditions from 1910 to 1915 and from the precipi- 

 tation records shown in figures 2 and 3 there is probability at least 

 that the curve for total grazing capacity for 1920 to 1923, inclusive, 

 will be approximately the reverse of the grazing-capacity curve 

 shown in figure 9 for 1915 to 1918, inclusive. If the climate con- 

 tinues in c^'cles as in the past there will probably be another drought 

 about 1924. The future management of the Jornada Range Reserve 

 will be based upon these two assumj)tions. The breeding herd came 

 through the drought of 1916-1918 with nearly enough good young 

 breeding cows for the permanent breeding herd recommended. The 

 question now is to decide what class of stock should be kept to use the 

 gradually increasing surplus range forage up to 1924, or up to the 

 next drought, and at what age to dispose of the excess stock produced. 



SURPLUS STOCK SHOULD VARY WITH RANGE FORAGE PRODUCTION AND WITH 



THE MARKET. 



As shown in figures 8 and 9, after the permanent breeding herd 

 recommended is taken care of there will be surplus forage varying 

 from nothing at the worst of the expected drought to 50 per cent of 

 the total for a given range unit about 3 to 5 yeai's after a drought is 

 broken, and possibly more in a period of exceptionally good j^ears. 

 This, of course, assumes that the range is to be properly managed so 

 that it will recover. 



^ Originally the pasture in the San Andres Mountains was included as part of the 

 ai'ea to be used by breeding and other permanent stock of the reserve in time of drought, 

 the surplus forage being used by horses and extra stock in good years. Because of the 

 extremely rough topography and rocky surface, poor success was obtained in trying to 

 use this area by stock accustomed to the level ground where there were no rocks. Conse- 

 quently the plan for the future is to use this area for horses and steers or other stock 

 that are placed in the mountains as yearlings and left there long enough to become 

 accustomed to the rough country, and not as part of tiie breeding area proper. 



