34 BULLETIN 790, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 



portance to warrant variation from what would seem to be the most 

 desirable natural unit range division, so far as topography «is the 

 deciding factor. 



The important feature of this whole question of cattle units is to 

 look into the future and plan with a view to the management desired, i 

 rather than to act "piecemeal" from day to day on separate phases 

 of management. A comprehensive plan of management embodying 

 the principles outlined will be a necessity in the not-distant future. 

 Such a plan, to be lasting, should be by units which will remain per- 

 manent, as far as this is practicable. The community unit for cattle 

 range, conforming to natural topographic divisions, appears to offer 

 the greatest possibilities for permanency and for comprehensive 

 phms of range development and management which will make pos- 

 sible, eventually, the application of fundamental principles of range 

 and live-stock management, and yet be practicable as regards cost, 

 both for development and for administration. The personnel of the 

 users may change, but the unit and its management should not. 



As soon as such units are established with assurance of reasonable 

 permanency, constructive work should begin on means of preventing 

 drift of stock from one unit to another. As in the case of control 

 at the boundary of the Forest, the final control by units will be 

 obtained by a combination of fences and natural barriers. Pending 

 the construction of necessary fences, however, reasonably effective 

 control of stock can be secured by care in salting, watering, and rid- 

 ing to get the stock accustomed to their home range. Cattle once 

 thoroughly accustomed to using a given range are not inclined to 

 drift far. Stock placed on a new range and young stock born on 

 the range must be carefully watched during at least one year to 

 prevent drift. Salt should not be placed near the dividing line 

 between two units; stock should not be driven from one unit to 

 another during a round-up ; if they are moved they should be returned 

 to their home range; if a few head of stock become accustomed to 

 drifting from one unit to another they should be got rid of as soon 

 as practicable, as one old cow may lead a number of young stock off 

 the range and cause unwarranted expense for riding and loss from 

 straying. 



DISTRIBUTION OF CATTLE WITHIN A UNIT. 



Once range-management units for cattle are established and the 

 numbers of stock and period of grazing are under control on each 

 unit the problem is to secure the best use of the forage on the indi- 

 vidual unit. This involves grazing at the proper time, as well as 

 full, uniform grazing over all parts of the unit. The means of arriv- 

 ing at both these ends are proper salting of the cattle, development 

 of watering places, construction of fences, construction of stock 

 trails, and attention bv riders. 



