Show o 0 Smokey Says From The Manti Messenger Held over from previous week On August 28 of this year a number of Manti ManU Stockmen in cooperation with the Great Ba Basin Basin Basin Ba- Ba sin Research Center and th the e Manti-LaSal Manti National Forest weighed and marked some of the range cattle on the Manti ManU Canyon Canyon Canyon Can Can- yon allotment The weighed stock was divided into two groups one being allowed to graze in Lowry Fork a unit of 1000 acres where acres were seeded to grasses five years ago The other group grazed in the North Fork of Manti Canyon where no seeding had been done On September 30 or 33 days later these animals were weighed weigh weigh- ed again The ones in the seeded seeded seeded seed seed- ed area were under fence so most most- of the marked animals could be found and re The outside group was much I more scattered scattered so that it was possible to get a smaller re re- re covery Regardless the number recovered was sufficient to give fair of Index of gains in in both areas The average gains in pounds for three classes of animals are Lowry Fork seeded area area area- cows calves steers and heifers North Fork native range cows calves steers and heifers One cow in the seeded area lost 15 pounds the reason for this being that she calved while on the area The contrast in gains certainly certainly shows that seeding mountain range can pay payout out in a few years by increased gains alone However additional years' years studies studies studies stu stu- dies are needed to support the conclusion This is but one phase of a cooperative investigation to evaluate evaluate evaluate e- e valuate the merits of converting mountain cattle ranges now supporting supporting supporting sup sup- porting low value broadleaf plants to a predominantly grass cover More important perhaps will be to see if the seeded grasses grassi grass grass- es can maintain their o 0 |