| Title | A review of research related to development of grazing systems on native ranges of the western United States |
| Publication Type | Government Report |
| Year of Publication | 1971 |
| Authors | Herbel C.H. |
| Pagination | 32 |
| Keywords | continuous grazing, deferred-rotation grazing, flexible herd management, government publication, grazing management, grazing systems, rest-rotation grazing |
| Abstract | Research studies of grazing systems on native range in the 17 contiguous Western states are reviewed. Year-long, continuous grazing was superior to seasonal grazing on the California annual rangelands. There was only limited success with any grazing scheme other than continuous on rangelands grazed only for a part of the year (seasonal ranges). The deferred-rotation system at Sonora, Texas, resulted in sufficient range improvement to permit a 33% increase in stocking as compared to continuous grazing. Grazing research should include studies on the entire ecosystem, not just a few of the major species. Livestock performance per unit area may be more important in evaluating grazing studies than individual animal performance. Grazing studies should be flexible to permit consideration of fluctuation in plant attributes due to variations in weather conditions. Much additional study is needed to develop the most productive grazing scheme for each range operation. |
| URL | /files/bibliography/129.pdf |
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Science-based management strategies for sustainability of agriculture and other land uses
