With a great demand beef at good prices, such as prevails today, there is apt to be less and less attention given to the various management aspects of operating cattle outfits. Yet, as every seasoned cattleman knows, it is just as important and perhaps even more so to keep a line on range management costs and income during good times as during lean years. During good years, there is a greater chance of management factors getting out of balance, which may lead to later difficulties. Then too, no one knows when or how quickly the fat years will turn to lean. This is particularly so in the Southwest where cattle ranching is influenced by many factors, some of which, particularly drought, are beyond control of the operator. In this region, good range management practices have a direct bearing on costs and returns which in the end tell whether or not a stockman stays in business.