78 BULLETIN" 1031, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



buyers and lower prices for those taken. This cut-back in 1917 and 

 1918 varied from 10 to as high as 50 per cent of yearlings offered for 

 sale. Prices paid for yearling steers have not advanced in New 

 Mexico since 1916, in spite of some improvement in grade, while 

 there was marked advance in prices paid for this class of stock 

 elsewhere from 1916 to 1919. According to information furnished 

 by the Cattle Sanitary Board of New Mexico, the maximum average 

 high price has been $40 since 1915, while the average minimum 

 price has dropped from $39 per head in 1916 to $25 in 1918 and 

 1919. This lack of increase in price is traceable to the lack of growtK 

 in young stock in time of drought. Young heifers, too, did not 

 make normal growth, and while fewer of these are sold, they are 

 often set back so that they are not in fair breeding condition. 



Eliminating the period of no growth, or having 3'oung stock in 

 condition to respond quickly and make more rapid growth after 

 feed comes, would mean a higher price for the steers to go as stock- 

 ers to northern pastures, and possibly would produce a steer that 

 would go direct to the feeder. Improvement along this line is im- 

 portant to obtain maximum returns from the attention and expense 

 required to grow better-grade stock. 



SELLING STEEES AND SUKPLUS HEIFERS AS CAL^TES. 



Selling steers and surplus heifers as calves in the fall would elimi- 

 nate carrying them over the most expensive period of the year. The 

 better grade of stock similar to that now being raised on the Jornada 

 Range Reserve should find a ready market as calves among feeders 

 in the farming States. This practice will be largely limited b}^ two 

 factors — lack of uniformity in age of calves in the fall and the 

 necessity of holding over stock to consume surplus forage not needed 

 by the breeding herd. 



The breeding season on Southwestern ranges is ordinaril}^ con- 

 sidered yearlong, and as a result, calves are dropped throughout the 

 year, although mainly from March to July. Consequently, a large 

 number of calves too young to sell in the fall must be carried through 

 the winter and sold the following year. Restricting the breeding 

 season to a certain period of the year would result in more uniformity 

 in size of offspring at time of sale. 



Selling most of the steers and surplus heifers as calves, however, 

 will not leave sufficient stock on a range to consume surplus forage 

 in good years, an essential part of range management where drought 

 occurs. In such cases the practicability of selling calves will depend 

 upon the grade of stock being raised. If the greatest profit from 

 good grade stock may be obtained by marketing the product as 

 calves it may be advisable to sell the calves raised each year and in 

 good years when there is surplus forage purchase cheaper steers. 



