48 BULLETIlSr 1031^ U. S, DEPARTMEISTT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



There are several possibilities for profitable use of this surplus 

 forage. First, provision must be made for reserving enough heifers 

 from the natural increase of the breeding herd to provide for im- 

 proving the breeding herd by culling and replacement. The breed- 

 ing herd recommended provides about 3 per cent of heifers to replace 

 loss and a small additional percentage of injured and unthrifty cows, 

 but does not provide for heavy culling to improve the grade of the 

 herd or to get rid of old cows. Stockmen will probably differ as to 

 the best policy to pursue. The Jornada breeding herd was carefully 

 culled over in 1919, and it is not probable that heavy culling will 

 again be undertaken for several years. Before another drought, 

 however, or about 1924 if no drought is evident at that time, about 

 50 per cent of the present breeding herd should be replaced by heifers 

 selected from the natural increase. This replacement will serve the 

 double purpose of improving the grade and providing a herd made 

 up of young cows best able to withstand the hardships of drought. 

 To get the best results the heifers for replacement should be selected 

 from calf crops in years when forage conditions are favorable to 

 development of young stock, probably from those before 1922, so 

 that they will be at least two years old when put into the breeding 

 herd. 



Whether additional heifers will be held over will depend upon the 

 demand and market for young breeding stock as compared with de- 

 mand and market price for steers. During the next few years there 

 will probably be demand for heifers to build up herds greatly re- 

 duced during the drought. There is also the possibility of holding 

 over some heifers in good years in addition to those necessary for 

 replacement in the permanent breeding herd, to increase this herd 

 temporarily and thus secure some additional calves in good years. 

 Further total increase in stock should then be held down by selling 

 young stock as calves. Increase in the breeding herd is dangerous, 

 however, unless such increase will be disposed of before another 

 drought. The actual time when the next dry spell may start, of 

 course, can not definitely be foretold. 



Prior to 1918 on the Jornada Range Reserve most of the heifers 

 were held over as part of the breeding herd, because of the heavA^ 

 culling of this herd to improve both grade and age. This Avas con- 

 sidered warranted in view of the rapid improvement desired, but 

 even then losses would probably have been lighter and cost of feed- 

 ing not so heavy in 1918 if plans had been made beforehand and 

 part of the heifers disposed of each year during the drought. 



There is usually demand for steers 1 year old or over at any time 

 of the year. In the past the policy at the Jornada Reserve has been 

 to use for steers most of the forage not needed by the breeding herd. 

 This policy, instead of holding over heifers for sale, has been with- 



