28 BULLETIN 588, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
TOTAL LOSS. 
The total losses on the Reserve from June 1, 1915, the time that 
the department representatives began an active part in the campaign 
against loss, until December 31, 1916, was 54 head of all classes, or at 
the rate of 1.9 per cent annually. The total losses from January 1, 
1916, to December 31, 1916, were 66 head, or 1.5 per cent. The 1916 
losses included 13 cows, 2 bulls, 35 yearlings, 4 branded calves, and 
12 unbranded calves. Possibly a few head were missed, so that the 
total might be slightly higher, but not appreciably so. 7 
Reports received from stockmen in connection with the investi- 
gation of live-stock production on western ranges in 1914 showed 
average losses for New Mexico as follows: Calves up to 12 months of 
age, 10.6 per cent; yearlings, 5.6 per cent; stock over 2 years old, 
5.8 per cent. If these figures are approximately correct, and it is 
believed that they are, the small losses at the Jornada Range Reserve 
since June 1, 1915, show decidedly encouraging possibilities for reduc- 
ing losses from starvation, blackleg, straying, and other causes. 
Records for a period of years will be necessary for comparison with 
the figures cited for New Mexico as a whole. The results at the 
Reserve to date, however, justify serious consideration by stockmen. 
Systematic vaccination is possible under range conditions. It should 
be done as a preventive, and not as a cure after the disease is prevalent 
in a herd. Much can be accomplished also in preventing loss from 
starvation, even on the open range, though it can not be handled 
with the same efficiency as on fenced areas. 
CONCLUSIONS. 
RANGE IMPROVEMENT BY NATURAL REVEGETATION. 
Primarily as aresult of (1) reducing the number of stock during the 
main growing season of about four months—July to October—to about 
half the average number the area will carry for the year, (2) not over- 
stocking during the other eight months, and (8) better distribution 
of stock watering places, grama-grass range on the Jornada Range 
Reserve has improved in three years at least 50 per cent, as com- 
pared with similar adjoining unfenced range grazed yearlong. Obser- 
vations to date indicate that range thus lightly grazed during the 
main growing season has improved approximately to the same extent 
as similar range protected from grazing the entire year. 
On fenced grama-grass ranges of the Southwest where the stock are 
carried mainly on range feed throughout the year, light stocking 
‘during the growing season is profitable. It will probably not reduce 
the total animal-days’ feed furnished on a given area during the year, 
and will reserve feed for the critical period from February to July, 
or later in case of: prolonged drought. 
