PREFACE 



How can Colorado ranchers get more from their nleadows? An equally 

 important question is, "How can they increase production from their ranches 

 most economically?" Along with ranchers, agronomists and soil scientists 

 have been investigating the first of these questions since 1950. Considerable 

 progress has been made in learning how to irrigate and fertilize mountain 

 meadows to get higher yields of hay and hay of higher quality. The research 

 on which this progress report is based was addressed to the second question. 



This study was initiated by J. L. Paschal, formerly with the Farm 

 Economics Research Division, ARS, and particular thanks are expressed for 

 his early work. M. L. Upchurch, of the Farm Economics Research Divi- 

 sion, ARS, directed and supervised the study. The author is indebted to 

 scientists, particularly to Forrest Willhite, Hayden Rouse, and Frank Viets, 

 of the Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, ARS, U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and to scientists in the Department of Agronomy, 

 Colorado State Univei^sity, for help in interpreting the data used. Thanks 

 are due also to the ranchers who provided their time and access to their 

 records. 



Prepared in 

 Farm Economics Research Division 

 Agricultural Research Service 

 United States Department of Agriculture 



