4 BULLETIN 1858, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Horses and burros travel more readily than cattle and are more 
apt to water every day. Gentle horses commonly water in the day-. 
time, but wild range horses frequently water during the night. 
While lambing on dry feed sheep should be watered daily, and 
ewes with lambs generally need water more frequently than dry 
bands. For sheep that are being trailed long distances between sum- 
mer and winter ranges water at least every other day is desirable, 
but when they are grazed quietly on the average grama-grass ranges 
every two or three “days i is usually sufficient. When juicy herbs are 
abundant sheep may not require water for several weeks, and the 
same is sometimes true during mild winters on ranges only par-. 
tially covered by snow. W hen favorable moisture conditions over | 
the winter desert ranges result in a big crop of very succulent plants, | 
such as Indian-wheat (Plantago spp. ) and alfilaria (Lrodiwm cicu- 
tarium), sheep often thrive for two months, or even longer, without. 
water other than the moisture found in the feed. In the high, cool 
mountain pastures of succulent forage, with occasional fogs, showers, 
or heavy dews, sheep have been successfully 9 erazed for two or three 
months without water (25). In a South African feeding experi 
ment sheep were maintained in mutton condition for a year and a 
half without drinking water when fed on prickly pear cactus and a 
small amount of alfalfa (Bl). | 
Goats can go without water for several days when dews are heavy, 
forage succulent, and the weather cool, and for longer periods in) 
the winter if snow is available. With dry forage and heht dew, 
wethers and dry does should be watered every qaner day mind does. 
with suckling kids should have water daily (4, p. 16, 17). 
} 
TRAVEL OF LIVESTOCK TO WATER LIMITED BY VARIOUS | 
FACTORS ) 
Grazing animals in general prefer to graze only far enough from 
water to find fresh feed. Cattle in ood flesh may be expected to 
travel from 2 to 214 miles to water on flat or undulating ranges in| 
open country with smooth ground free from rock, and “sheep. may 
be grazed out from 4 to 5 miles under such conditions. In steep, 
mountainous areas, where surface rock wears down the hoofs, and 
where dense brush or timber impedes travel, about half a mile is 
the feasible limit for cattle and from 1 to 2 miles for sheep, if good | 
gains are to be made. Steers and dry cows are able to travel far-_ 
ther than other classes of cattle, and the same thing is true of dry | 
bands of sheep and goats as compared with bands of ewes with lambs | 
and of does with kids. Range horses and burros can travel much | 
farther between feed and water than can cattle or sheep, but are 
relatively few in number and on large range units are grazed ordi- 
narily in common with cattle or sheep. Satisfactory water spacing | 
is largely a problem of cattle and sheep ranges. 
On rough ranges livestock will commonly travel long distances up| 
and down ridges and canyons rather than cross them. Whether the | 
main water trails follow ridges or drainage lines depends largely 
on comparative conditions of surface footing, steepness of slope, 
ledges, bowlders, dense timber, and brush. In general, the animals 
will choose the route of least resistance, provided the distance is not | 
decidedly greater. 
