8 LEAFLET 215, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



eastern New Mexico, and southeastern Arizona, grazing capacities 

 as high as 35 head of cattle per section yearlong have been reported, 

 although 30 head per section would probably be a safer maximum even 

 here. On the best national-forest ranges 25 cows per section repre- 

 sents about the maximum intensity for sustained grazing capacity, 

 while on average range it is more nearly 15 to 20 cows. On some 

 deteriorated blue grama ranges where broom snakeweed, pingiie ac- 

 tinea, and other low-value plants are increasing, grazing capacity has 

 declined to 5 or 6 head per section for yearlong conservative use. 



Conservative stocking, even to the point of seeming understocking, 

 may not be a wasteful practice. Recent studies made by the New 

 Mexico State College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts show that 

 maximum annual production of livestock in terms of pounds of beef 

 per acre, as well as maximum economic values in terms of net profit 

 per acre, were obtained by stocking below rather than above the 

 usual estimate of grazing capacity. Further, conservative stocking 

 allows the stand to recuperate after drought. As variation between 

 ranges is so great, the actual grazing capacity of local blue grama 

 ranges can be best determined by range surveys followed up by 

 annual utilization checks. 



Under present management practices blue grama is grazed during 

 the summer only, the winter only, or throughout the year. This grass 

 does best, however, when it is rested or grazed only lightly during 

 its growing season and then utilized to the proper point during the 

 late fall, winter, or early spring. Maximum growth is obtained under 

 summer deferred grazing, giving opportunity for the seed to mature 

 and disseminate. In addition to proper seasonal use, livestock distri- 

 bution over the range should be controlled through herding, riding, 

 and proper location of salt and water. 



Good management practices similar to those indicated above are 

 the means whereby proper utilization is attained, and utilization 

 guides serve to check on the adequacy of existing management. 

 When management and utilization are satisfactory, ranges in good 

 condition will remain that way, while poor ranges will be built up 

 through natural revegetation. 



Common and Botanical Names of Species 



Arizona fescue Festuca arizonica 



Black grama Bouteloua eriopoda 



Blue grama B. gracilis 



Bluestem wheatgrass Agropyron smithii 



Bottlebrush squirreltail Sitanion hystrix 



Broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae 



Buffalograss Buchloe dactyloides 



Curlymesquite Hilaria belangeri 



Galleta H. jamesii 



Hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta 



Mountain muhly Muhlenbergia montana 



Pine dropseed Blepharoneuron tricholepis 



Pingiie actinea Actinea richardsoni 



Prairie junegrass Koeleria cristata 



Rabbitbrushes Chrysothamnus spp. 



Ring muhly Muhlenbergia torreyi 



Side-oats grama Bouteloua curtipendula 



Slender grama B. filiformis 



Three-awns Aristida spp. 



Wolftail Lycurus phleoides 



U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1942 



For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. ------ - Price 5 cents 



