72 BULLETIN 1031, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
time to get them on feed before there was danger of their starving 
to death. Riding among and handling range cattle may have a 
slight tendency to disturb and annoy them, so that they may not do 
so well at first. This has even led some stockmen to the opinion that 
it is best to disturb them as little as possible. Experience has shown, 
however, that this is true to a slight extent only with the native cat- 
tle, and that the better grades which have practically replaced the 
native stock have now become accustomed to handling and are not 
injured by it, providing it is slowly and carefully done. Even timid 
cattle soon learn to come to feed, and if carefully handled receive 
the full benefit from it. 
Comparison of starvation losses ——The measure of results from the 
steps taken to avoid losses from starvation is shown by a compari- 
son of the losses of stock that have occurred on the Jornada Range 
Reserve since the problem was attacked, and losses under open range 
conditions in southern New Mexico for the same period. Such a 
comparison is made in Table 26. 
TABLE 26.—Losse& of live stock from starvation on the Jornada Range Reserve 
and on open southern New Mezico ranges. 
Jornada Range 
Reserve. 
Year. SS open Entire State. 1 
Main 500 spe- 
herd. | cialherd. 
Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. 
1916 Fale ee aU) trade MEAS Reg Sprain eek es ia, Stl eens Gad 0.3 0.0 | 12 
pee an RIE eae AV CIMCL OS NGM TN LLL sis Wee 
1919 Wa e apa eo ae ce pete eee ewe) ipa gece nh ont yee 2 1 0 . 0 5 | in the State. 3 
PASVETA POLE Ses twee | Sed wah ee Sey ed ab ne 12, | 3244) wey | 
hee furnished by Cate le Board of New Mexico. Losses heavier in northern part of State 
2 Herd on the reserve only part of the year, but figure applies to whole year. 
2 Although this figure includes some losses from other causes, losses are mainly due to starvation. 
Records for losses on the Jornada Range Reserve are made from 
actual observations of stock that died. Since poorest stock are 
handled in small pastures and around feed lots, and the entire range 
covered by riders many times during each year during round-ups 
and on other occasions, very few dead stock are missed. The records 
for the outside are compiled from careful estimates from observation 
by stockmen and others connected with the livestock industry, and 
are considered reliable. 
The comparatively low losses on the Jornada Range Reserve in the 
main herd are attributed directly to the method of management to 
provide for needy stock during the period from January until rains 
occur in the summer, and to reducing the number of stock on the 
range in time of drought. The additional cost for feed was not 
