Czrcular No. 925 
September 1953 * Washington, D. C. 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Increasing Forage Yields and Sheep 
Production on Intermountain 
Winter Ranges 
By SELAR 8. HuTcHInes, range conservationist, and GEORGE STEWART, formerly range 
conservationist, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service 
CONTENTS 
Page Page 
iT brOdUCtION= ss SS 1 Black sagebrush subtypes__-_-____- 35 
Methods*otstudiy2 22822 <2 co 4| Winterfat subtype containing Rus- 
Winter range vegetation. ________-- 7 siah=thistle 7. ee i ee 39 
Horage utilization =" 2 ee 12) Influence of grazing intensity on 
Utilization of individual species__._ 12 sheep production_____________- 40 
Periodic trends in utilization______ 14| Sheep production on range pastures 41 
Influence of relative production of Sheep production on range allot- 
Pherspe cies ar oh as ae 16 MMCNtSe see Oe ee 44 
Influence of grazing intensity _ _ ___ 18 | Guides for increasing forage and sheep 
Precipitation and its influence on production 2 (e722 As: 53 
vegetatlOone 2: oars 19| Judging range condition_-_-_-_--__-___ 53 
Precipitation records___-.______-- 1OJEe wWtihzation standards. 32229. o2 =. 54 
Influence of precipitation on pro- Stockme rates. 2: soe es 55 
CGNUIC GUO) ates Se Ss ae as ie ee 23 Management practices____-___-_-_- a7 
Influence of grazing intensity on SUMIMATY ses Sis Sse eee 58 
VER CUMIONe 88 ok eet Se. Zia atenatune. cited 2) es ae Ses 61 
Shadscale and winterfat subtypes. 28|Common and botanical names of 
Shadscale-Indian ricegrass subtype 33 species mentioned____________- 62 
INTRODUCTION 
The 65 million acres of winter range in the Intermountain region 
supports only a sparse stand of vegetation, yet it furnishes forage for 
approximately 4 to 5 million sheep each winter for a period of 4 to 6 
months, from November to April. Since the early days of the sheep 
industry in the West, the drier portions of the region have been used 
1 
