14 BULLETIN 1170, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The rotation pasture was grazed with the same number of cattle 

 as the other pastures during 1918 and 1919. However, the cattle 

 did not gain as much as those in either the 100-acre or the 70-acre 

 pasture. This was not because of a shortage of feed or a difference 

 in kind of feed, but may be traced directly to the watering facilities, 

 which are not as satisfactory for this pasture as for the others. The 

 cattle each season spend a good deal of time in the lane leading to the 

 water trough. In 1920 the number of cattle in the rotation pasture 

 was increased to 15, and in 1921 to 17. In 1921 this pasture was 

 grazed too close to produce its highest gains per head. From the 

 percentage of the foliage cover removed by grazing in this pasture 

 during 1918 and 1919, it is quite clear that it would have readily sup- 

 ported more cattle. Therefore, the gains produced since the number 

 of cattle has been increased are of more significance than they 

 would otherwise have appeared. The aim in this pasture is to utilize 

 the maximum quantity of vegetation without too greatly reducing 

 the gains per head of the cattle. Since the number of cattle in the 

 rotation pasture has been increased it has produced higher gains per 

 head than either the 50-acre or the 30-acre pasture, with practically 

 an equal utilization of the native vegetation and without injury to it. 



During only one year (1916) have the cattle on the 30-acre pasture 

 finished the season on it. The rule that has been followed is to leave 

 the cattle on the pasture until they show a decided loss in weight. 

 This loss has ranged from 25 to 50 pounds per head. Had the quan- 

 tity of visible forage been used as the measure of the time for their 

 removal, the}' would have been removed earlier each year. It is 

 always true that the cattle will remain on the pasture for days with- 

 out loss in weight when they have no apparent forage supply before 

 them. The loss usually comes suddenly and may occur within 5, 10, 

 or 15 days. When the pasture becomes short the cattle are weighed 

 every 5 or 10 days to determine when loss begins. When continual 

 loss in weight is clearly established the cattle are removed to the 

 reserve pasture for the rest of the season. 



From Table 2 it will be seen that the cattle on the 100-acre, the 

 70-acre, and the rotation pastures show either light gains or losses 

 for the month of October and somewhat reduced gains during Sep- 

 tember. The lowered gains during the latter part of the season 

 do not necessarily condemn fall grazing. This is the time when 

 cattle put on the ki finish " so often referred to by stockmen, which is 

 apparently a hardening process brought about through a reduction 

 in the quantity of water that they drink, as well as a change in the 

 condition of their flesh. Therefore, when cattle are without feed or 

 water for 24 hours in the fall they will " shrink " less than they 

 would during the same length of time earlier in the season. The 

 autumn also represents the transition or adjustment period of the 

 cattle between summer and winter. The cooler weather of autumn 

 always causes shrinkage of the cattle, which is recorded as a loss in 

 weight. 



During the five years that the steers on the 30-acre field have been 

 removed from their pasture they were on the reserve pasture for an 

 average of 47 days. During this time they made an average total 

 gain of 860 pounds, as compared with 370 pounds for the steers on 

 the 100-acre and 351 pounds for those on the 70-acre pasture. The 



