Show H Forest Grazing Study Reported Moderate 1 grazing yields the highest returns from cattle and maintains the forage and waterbed watershed watershed water- water shed bed values on ponderosa pine rangelands This is the conclusion conclusion sion ion of a six year study renor t- t ed cd by the Rocky Mountain Forest Forest Forest For For- est and Range Experiment Station Station Station Sta Sta- tion in a recently issued book book- let Written by W. W M. M Johnson Forest Service range conservationist conservationist conserva conserva- the new U. U S S. S Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture publication describes an experimental project project pro- pro on the Manitou Experimental tal F. F Fo Forest o r l' e est s t near Fort Collins Colorado Effects of Grazing Intensity Upon Vegetation and Cattle Gains on Ponderosa Pine Bunch Grass Ranges of the Front Range of Colorado is its title itle Moderately grazed cattle range I produced an average income of per section of land The return from lightly grazed range was vas per section and from heavily grazed range per section The cattle showed an average gain per head of pounds on the heavily grazed range pounds under moderate grazing and pounds under light grazing The author recommended for forthe forthe the he kind of range used a 40 35 percent utilization of the grasses and sedges This degree of use he 10 said yielded the highest returns returns re- re turns urns from the grazing animals and at the same time maintained maintain maintain- ed forage and watershed values Cattle used in the experiments experiments ments were yearling Hereford I heifers from local ranches The fhe grazing season was June 1 October October October Oc Oc- Oc- Oc tober 31 for each of the s six i x years the study was conducted The author said that forage production was maintained under under under un un- un- un der both moderate and l I light i g h t grazing but that production was lowered in the heavily grazed pastures Many livestock owners Mr Johnson wrote raze graze only a few head of livestock and it is necessary for them t to o I obtain the best possible income from their relatively small smal herds The larger livestock op operators operators operators op- op also need a u basis fo for r proper stocking in order to operate op op- crate erate efficiently The study was designed t tn to o show how the stockmen of the area are a 1 how the highest returns fro from m 1 the available range could be lie secured se secured secured se- se cured and md still maintain th the e range at its b best e st productive e level The Forest Service has con conducted cOli ducted similar studies for othel othe range types |