Increased Calf Production and Returns From Improved Range and Livestock Management on a Northern Utah Ranch

The operating costs for farms and ranches in the United States have increased 81 percent between 1970 and 1976. Calf prices over this same period have fluctuated dramatically and have fallen from a high of $58/cwt in 1973 to a low of$26/cwt in 1975. Since 1973, the increasing operating costs have exceeded the returns gene rated by the low calf prices and have left operators in a negative financial position. This case study has shown that the operator has increased both the scale and efficiency of his operation through improved lives tock husbandry and range improvements, yet has been unable to keep up with the increase in operating costs. A rest rotation grazing system and associated range improvements were implemented in 1970 on the summer mountain range. The resultant increase in forage production allowed a 45 percent increase in the breeding herd. The meadow hayland and crested wheat grass pastures were also improved to provide winter and spring forage for the increased number of cows. The calf crop weaned and average weaning weights increased from 86 percent and 347 pound s i n 1970 to 93 percent and 363 pounds i n 1976. The total pounds of calf weaned increased 60 percent between 1970 and 1976. The tremendous increase in beef production was offset by the rampant increase in op e rating costs. The net return in 1970 was $2,160 but dropped to a loss of -$3,671 in 1976. However, had the operator not increased the level of production while the operating costs increased, his net loss in 1976 would have been -$24,718. Although the net returns are negative, the increase in returns over the base level of production is positive. The internal rate of return and net present worth of the grazing system and its associated improvements was 25 percent and$95,027 respectively. The operator has been successful in developing his range and livestock resource and increasing calf production. It is paradoxical that the increase in returns above the base production have rendered the improvements economically profit able yet the combination of increasing operating costs and low livestock prices have produced a negative return from 1974 through 1976

Broom Snakeweed Increase and Dominance in Big Sagebrush Communities

Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britt. & Rusby) is a native sub-shrub that is widely distributed on rangelands of western North America. It often increases to near monocultures following disturbance from overgrazing, fire or drought. Propagation is usually pulse driven in wet years, allowing large expanses of even-aged stands to establish and dominate plant communities. It can maintain dominance following fire, or can co-dominate with cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) on degraded sagebrush rangelands. State-and-transition models show that competitive grasses in the respective plant communities can prevent snakeweed dominance

Conditioned Food Aversions: Principles and Practices, with Special Reference to Social Facilitation

Conditioned food aversion is a powerful experimental tool to modify animal diets. We have also investigated it as a potential management tool to prevent livestock from grazing poisonous plants such as tall larkspur (Delphinium barbeyi), white locoweed (Oxytropis sericea) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) on western US rangelands. The following principles pertain to increasing the strength and longevity of aversions: mature animals retain aversions better than young animals; novelty of the plant is important, although aversions can be created to familiar plants; LiCl is the most effective emetic, and the optimum dose for cattle is 200 mg/kg body weight; averted animals should be grazed separately from non-averted animals to avoid the influence of social facilitation which can rapidly extinguish aversions. Social facilitation is the most important factor preventing widespread application of aversive conditioning. When averted animals see other animals eat the target food they will sample it, and if there is no adverse reaction they will continue eating and extinguish the aversion. However, if averted animals can be grazed separately, aversions will persist. Aversive conditioning may provide an effective management tool to prevent animals from eating palatable poisonous plants that cause major economic loss

Spotted Locoweed on the Henry Mountains

Spotted locoweed (Astragalus lentlginosus, var. wahweapens) also known as freckled or Wahweap Milkvetch is characterized by blue leguminous flowers, purple speckled seed pods, and leaves resembling those of garden pea. The plant is poisonous to cattle, sheep and horses. It grows on gravely clay loam semi-desert benches and swales supporting desert shrubs and sparse stands of juniper

Conditioning Sheep to Graze Duncecap Larkspur (Delphinium occidentale)

Sheep are more resistant than cattle to larkspur poisoning and thus may be used as a biological tool to graze larkspur to reduce cattle poisoning. Sheep readily graze larkspur in its mature stages, but if they are to be an effective management tool, they must graze it in the early growth stages before cattle enter the allotment. The objective of this study was to determine if sheep could be positively conditioned to graze duncecap larkspur (Delphinium occidentale (S.Wats) S. Wats) early in its growth stages. Eighteen ewes were divided into 3 groups of 6 ewes each. During conditioning, group 1 was offered potted larkspur plants then were gavaged with glucose, the second group was exposed to larkspur plants together as a group (social facilitation), and the third group was an untreated control. In the preference test, the glucose group ate more duncecap larkspur than the social facilitation and control groups. The glucose and control groups were taken to duncecap larkspur-infested mountain rangeland to test the conditioning. In the field grazing trial, the glucose group consumed more larkspur than the control group, but it occurred later in the grazing trial when larkspur was in flower and after desirable forages had been consumed. High levels of diterpenoid alkaloids in larkspur and other alternative palatable forages may have caused ewes to reject larkspur at the beginning of the trial. The sheep were positively conditioned to graze larkspur, but the amount consumed and the timing of consumption was not sufficient to prevent potential cattle poisoning. The Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 2020Legacy DOIs that must be preserved: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v58i6_ralph

Poisonous Plants: The Snakeweeds

This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management, the National Agricultural Library, and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Rangelands archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform March 202

Population Decline of White Locoweed

Many Astragalus and Oxytropis species are endemic (growing on specific soils and geographical areas), but white locoweed (Oxytropis sericea) is the most widespread locoweed in the western United States, growing on short-grass prairies and eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains from Montana to New Mexico. Its preferred habitat is rocky soils, where its long taproot can access deep percolated water allowing it to survive drought, temperature, and wind stress.The Rangelands archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform March 202

Cattle Grazing as a Biological Control for Broom Snakeweed: Vegetation Response

Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae [Pursh] Britton Rusby) increases and dominates rangelands following disturbances, such as overgrazing, fire, and drought. However, if cattle can be forced to graze broom snakeweed, they may be used as a biological tool to control it. Cattle grazed broom snakeweed in May and August 2004-2007. Narrow grazing lanes were fenced to restrict availability of herbaceous forage to force cattle to graze broom snakeweed. They used 50-85% of broom snakeweed biomass. Mature broom snakeweed plant density declined because of prolonged drought, but the decline was greater in grazed lanes. At the end of the study, density of mature plants in grazed lanes was 0.31 plants m-2, compared with 0.79 plants m-2 in ungrazed pastures. Spring precipitation in 2005 was 65% above average, and a new crop of seedlings established following the spring grazing trial. Seedling establishment was greater in the spring-grazed lanes in which the soil had been recently disturbed, compared with the ungrazed transects and summer-grazed lanes. The cattle were not able to use the large volume of new broom snakeweed plants in the spring-grazed pasture. They did reduce the number of seedlings and juvenile plants in the summer-grazed pasture. Intense grazing pressure and heavy use did not adversely affect crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum [L.] Gaertn.) cover, and it was actually higher in the summer grazed lanes than the ungrazed control transects. In moderate stands of broom snakeweed, cattle can be forced to graze broom snakeweed and reduce its density without adversely affecting the associated crested wheatgrass stand. The Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202