RANGE AND CATTLE MANAGEMENT DURING DROUGHT. 79 



In either case, whether selling as calves or holding over until year- 

 lings, there will be a number of young stock, including heifers re- 

 tained to replace culls in the breeding herd, which will be carried 

 over the dry period from November until July the next year. Main- 

 taining the growth of such stock over this period, or at least having 

 them in condition so that they will respond quickly when the green 

 grass comes, should make such stock grow out better and heifers 

 mature earlier for the breeding herd. 



SrrPLEJIENTAL FEEDING OF YOUNG STOCK. 



Feeding the young stock a small amount of cottonseed-cake or 

 meal to supplement the native forage and make it a better growing 

 ration from late fall until rains occur the following spring or sum- 

 mer should result in eliminating the dormant period in growth of 

 calves and yearlings at this time. At least, the young stock should 

 be in condition to start growth sooner and make more rapid gains 

 when green feed does come. The benefits from feeding early weaned 

 calves a small ration of cottonseed cake during this period on the 

 Jornada Eange Reserve in 1916, 1917, and 1918 have demonstrated 

 that it is a practicable undertaking with that class of stock. Feed- 

 ing a number of two and three-year-old steers several pounds of 

 cottonseed cake per day while on grass in 1914 and 1915 indicated 

 that it was not practicable to try fattening steers for the market 

 in this way; for bringing them into condition suitable for feeders 

 it was considered a success. As better grades of stock are raised this 

 procedure may be practiced with even greater success, and the South- 

 western breeder will eventually establish a better market for his 

 product than is now available. 



FUTURE PLANS FOPv THE JOENADA KANGE RESERVE. 



Plans for the future on the Jornada Range Reserve include selling 

 the best steer calves in the fall to feeders in the corn belt, if possible, 

 and feeding all young stock retained three- fourths to 1 pound of 

 cottonseed cake per day for 90 to 120 days in the spring to keep 

 them growing during this period. Results to date in feeding seem 

 to justify such practice. With the increased cost of handling and 

 producing stock in general every opportunity for increasing the 

 profit is worthy of consideration and trial. 



In choosing the most desirable plan, the main object and one that 

 Southwestern producers should bear in mind, however, is to pro- 

 duce the kind of animal for which there is greatest demand and that 

 the best range and feeding facilities will permit. 



SUMMARY. 



Periodic droughts causing heavy losses, low calf crops, and inter- 

 ference with building up of herds are the chief set-backs to the cattle 



