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MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATION 1271, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



basic questions about a given pasture. 



If he plans to graze the pasture for the usual 

 6-month summer season, the stocking-rate guide 

 gives him the approximate number of animals to 

 use. The guide indicates he should stock the pas- 

 ture when he has more than 336 kg./ha. of stand- 

 ing herbage. He should get off the pasture when 

 it is down to 336 kg./ha. of standing herbage. 

 He can move his livestock to a pasture that still 

 has more than 336 kg./ha. of standing vegetation, 

 take them to a corral where they can be fed. or 

 sell them. 



If the rancher is to maneuver wisely, he must 

 know how his range looks with 336 kg./ha. of 

 standing herbage. Figures 1, 2, and 3 show upland 

 blue-grama ranges in October with ungrazed 

 herbage in the amounts of 448, 336, and 224 kg./ 

 ha., respectively. It is relatively easy to see this 



difference. One can readily learn to recognize 

 336 kg./ha. of standing vegetation. 



Optimum Forage Production 



Thus far we have considered the management 

 principles concerned with optimum livestock pro- 

 duction or forage harvest. Xow let us consider 

 the management principles concerned with op- 

 timum forage production and look at the vege- 

 tation as leaf tissue rather than forage. 



Blue-grama ranges usually make their herbage 

 growth in brief spurts when moisture becomes 

 available. The amount of leaf tissue active dur- 

 ing these spurts of growth affects the quantity 

 of herbage produced. For optimum forage pro- 

 duction, blue-grama ranges should be managed to 

 provide sufficient leaf tissue to insure fast herbage 

 growth when a growth opportunity occurs. The 



Figure 1. — Blue grama range with 448 kg./ha. of ungrazed herbage remaining at the end of a May 1 to October 31 



grazing season. 



