Guide to range forage appraisal

Historic, Archive Document

Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

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\ ^UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Of

SOI L CONSERVATION SERV ICE
REG I ON SIX
AL3UQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

TO RANGE FORAGE APPRAISAL

LIBRARY

CURRENT SERIAL RECORD

LI LAN! 0

M -5 1944

U.8.DEFAfTH£HT0F«MIULTURE

REGIONAL BULLETIN NO. 9|
R A ,\G E ti A N A GEM EN T S E R 4 E 6 N 0 . 8
OCTOBER, 1943

GUIDE TO RANGE FORAGE APPRAISAL

BY

J • L. LAN TOW

Forage p l a n t s stubble heights pr o ■. : D e a

SIMPLE, 3R0AD, GUIDE TO RANGE OPERATORS F 0 R 1 ?,] ! T —
1 N G FORAGE USE SO PLANT VIGOR A N 0 OPT I u'i RROCUC-
TION C A N 3E MAINTAINED OR INCREASED. FRO?.: A RANGE
CONDITION AND FORAGE APPRAISAL, HE CAN XtO RK JUT A
SATISFACTORY FLEXIBLE RANGE USE PROGRAM.

The suggested following steps and informa-
tion ARE HELPFUL WHEN A S C E R T A 1 N I N G C 0 N D I T I O.N S A N D
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS ON THE RANCH. ADD I T I ONAL HELP
CAN 3E SECURED FRO THE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE
OFF i CE .

1 . EX A :.; 1 N E R E P R E S E N T A T I V E PARTS 0 F E A C H
PASTURE .

2 . NOTE K I N D S OF FORAGE, THEIR DEGREE OF
USE, A N D THE CO N D I T I 0 N OF VEGETATi 0 N A N D SOIL.
C 0 M PARE THIS YEAR'S FORAGE PRODUCTION WITH LAST
YEAR'S AND WITH THAT WHICH IS CO N S I D E R E D N 0 RM A L
FOR THE ARE A .

3 . M A K E A N E S T I M ATE OF THE PERCE N TAGE OF

PROPER USE J N THE FALL OR S P R I N G (ACCORDING TO

AREA) BASED ON THE ABOVE CONSIDERATIONS AND THE
F 0 L L 0 W IN G TABLE:

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(SAMPLE SHEET REFERREO TO ON PAGE 7)
FORAGE PRODUCT j Oil, UTI LIZATIOM AMD RANGE MANAGEMENT CHECK SHEET

4 » ; desirable forage species should be the
main basis for appraisal. th e t 1 m e and degree of
use of the pasture should be determined 5y such
forage plants,

5. the proportion or percent of grass
species eaten in a mixed grass stand will depend
upon their relative p a l a t a b i l 1 t 1 e s . the most de-
sirable species should be the key or q u i q e post
for protection.

6. Check the table on page 6 for conven-
ience I N A R R I V 1 N G AT THE N U M 5 E R OF A N I M A L UNITS
REPRESENTED S Y THE VARIOUS KINDS AND CLASSES OF
LIVESTOCK ON THE RANGE.

7. ON YEARLONG R A N G E S , THE FOLLOWING ITEMS
ARE I M PORTA H T :

A . I N THE FALL, AFTER C 0 M P L E~
T ION OF GROWTH, A Z5)o TO 3 0;., OF PROPER
USE I N D I CATC S NO CHANGE I N LIVESTOCK
NEEDS TO BE MADE. SOME PASTURES WILL
BE USED H E A VI ER ; IF SO, OTHER PASTURES
SHOULD BE USED LIGHTER.

B . A SPRING CHECK, 3 E F Q R E

GROWTH, SHOULD S H 0 W N 0 OVERGRAZING.

C M I D-SEASON OBSERVATIONS
ARE DESIRABLE TO NOTE THE PRODUCTION
AND USE OF FORAGE WHICH U AY D E T E RM I N E
CHANGES IN PASTURES OR T I M E OF M A R—
K E T I N G .

D « N 0 PAST U R E , A T ANY T I M E ,
SHOULD SHOW MORE THAN I 00;', OF PROPER
USE, BASED ON THE STU3BLE HEIGHT TABLE.

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8. On seasonally used ranges, the follow-
ing CHECKS NEED TO BE MADE.

A. AN INSPECTION |N THE SPRING
TO 0 E T E R'ft I N E WHEN THE SOIL WILL 3 E I N
CONDITION AND THE VEGETATION SUFFI-
CIENTLY AD-VAN C ED TO ALLOW GRAZING.

8. U ID-SEASON OBSERVATIONS ARE
DESIRABLE TO NOTE THE PRODUCT! 0 N A N D
USE OF FORAGE WHICH M AY DETER M I N E
CHANGES IN PASTURES OR T I M E OF MARKET-
ING.

C. AT END OF SEASON, NO PASTURE
SHOULD SHOW EM ORE THAN I OO'/o OF PROPER
USE, BASED ON STUSSLE HEIGHTS.

9. FINALLY, ON EITHER YEARLONG OR SEASONAL
RANGES, NOTE AREAS WHERE LIVESTOCK HAVE CONCEN-
TRATED OR WHERE EROSION SEEMS TO BE INCREASING SO
T H A T M 0 RE U N IFOR M DISTRIBUTION OR SPECIFIC R A N G E
IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE M A 0 E TO REMEDY CURRENT DIFFI-
CULT I E S .

All tables and suggestions must be con-
sidered AS GUIDES ONLY.

A SAMPLE COPY OF A SHEET WHICH WILL BE USE-
FUL IN RECORDING AND ESTIMATING FORAGE PRODUCTION
AND UTILIZATION AS A GUIDE TO RANGE M A N AGE M E N T IS
REP R-0 OUCED ON PP» 3 A N D 4 . ASK FOR A D D I T I 0 N A L
CHECK SHEETS OF THE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE.