RANGE AND CATTLE MANAGEMENT DURING DROUGHT. 65 



DECREASING LOSSES OF CATTLE. 



The average annual losses of range cattle in New Mexico for the 

 entire State for a series of years are approximately 7.3 per cent;" 

 for southern New Mexico, about 10 per cent. The New Mexico Cattle 

 Sanitary Board'" estimated the total loss of cattle in New Mexico 

 during the drought of 1916-1918 and the hard winter of 1918-19 as 

 25 per cent of all cattle in the State, " the heaviest loss on record in a 

 similar period." This loss was in spite of heavier shipments of cattle 

 from the State during 1917 and 1918 than for any two years previous. 

 Losses for range similar to the Jornada reserve and in the same lo- 

 "cality are estimated at 12 per cent in 1916, 15 per cent in 1917, and 35 

 per cent in 1918. Analysis of these losses will show that they are 

 due mainly to starvation, directly or indirectly, disease, poisonous 

 plants, and predatory animals — all mpre or less preventable. Obvi- 

 ously, reduction of the heavy losses on southern New Mexico and 

 similar range is a necessity if live-stock production is going to be 

 profitable under increased value of stock and range, large expendi- 

 tures for range improvements, and increased labor costs. The prob- 

 lem of reducing losses has been attacked vigorously within limits of 

 economy at the Jornada Eange Reserve and the results are considered 

 exceptionally encouraging, considering the large unit under manage- 

 ment and the many problems encountered. 



REDUCTION IN LOSS FKOM STARVATION, 



Starvation due to forage shortage, especially in time of drought, 

 "has been the main cause of losses among cattle on the Southwestern 

 ranges in the past. As the forage supply on range is reduced in 

 amount or becomes low in nutritive value during winter and spring 

 before the rainy season begins, cattle, especially breeding cows, slowly 

 lose flesh until they become so emaciated that they very often die. 

 In their weakened state they often get stuck in bog holes or die calv- 

 ing, and all such losses are indirectly chargeable to- starvation. 



Occasionally, but very rarely except in the high mountain country, 

 heavy snows may occur that cause injury to stock. Sometimes 

 losses are caused by stock thirsting for water, when well equipment 

 breaks down or springs or water holes go dry unexpectedly. Losses 

 from lack of water usually indicate failure to keep equipment in 

 good shape, to move cattle before the water holes dry up, or poor 



w Barnes, WiU C,. and Jardine, James T., Livestock Production in the Eleven Far 

 Western Range States, U. S. Dept. of Agr., OflSce of the Secretary, Report 110, Part II, 

 1916. 



20 From extracts from Report of Secretary of the New Mexico Cattle Sanitary Board for 

 year ending Dec. 1, 1919, to the Governor of New Mexico, printed in El Paso Livestock 

 Journal, Mar. 1, 1920. 



74514°— 22— Bull. 1031 5 



