Cows, Calves and Grass: Effects of Grazing Intensities on Beef Cow and Calf Production and on Mixed Prairie Vegetation on Western South Dakota Ranges

Abstract

This bulletin reports the results of a 9-year summer grazing experiment on native ranges in western South Dakota. The experiment was designed to determine the effects of climate and different intensities of grazing on (1) beef production, (2) maintenance of range condition, and (3) foliage yields. Hereford cows and calves were used in the experiment. The work was conducted at the Cottonwood Range Field Station which is located slightly south of the center of western South Dakota and midway between the Missouri River and the Black Hills. It is in the upper watershed of the Bad River