Show r i Canyon Tour Lures Group t r t I sf Stockmen vocational agriculture and Extension Service personnel from Sanpete San San- pete participated in a range tour of Manti ManU Canyon August They heard Dr Eugene Cronin Agriculture Research Service explain his work on larkspur control being conducted conducted conducted con con- ducted in Manti ManU Canyon Dr Cronin indicated that 2 24 5 4 T Tand Tand Tand and are doing a good job of controlling larkspur even though the kill is not per cent As larkspur and other competitive plants are reduced the established grasses grass es become significantly more vigorous and productive Dr Cronin stated that the use of herbicides caused the alkaloid content in larkspur to increase thus making it more poisonous for about one month after spraying He warned stockmen that where larkspur spraying was done it should be carried out as early in the season as possible and that livestock should be kept from the area for at least 30 days Dr Cronin also pointed out that climatic conditions temperature tern tem seasons etc affect the alkaloid content Alkaloid content until the seed sets then decreases rather rapidly Later seasons and wet seasons contribute to later ma ma- Thus in years where these two conditions exist higher death losses can be ex petted Dr Keith Roberts Agricultural Agricultural tural Economist report reported ed on his work concerning acres of larkspur in Manti ManU Canyon Based on the work of Dr Cronin and including many other factors Dr Roberts Roberts Rob erts said the total larkspur acreage in Manti ManU Canyon could be sprayed for about using ground and hand rigs This cost Spread pread over a year 20 period would give an annual cost of approximately Stockmen would only have to save 27 cows per year to offset the cost of spraying During the past eight years the average annual loss in Manti ManU Canyon has been 44 head Not all of this is due to larkspur but it is one of f the major causes Professor Karl Parker Extension Extension Extension Ex Ex- Ex- Ex tension Range Specialist presented presented presented pre pre- an illustrated discussion discussion discus discus- sion on on range trends He stressed the importance of understanding un un- understanding the potential of a range The same production should not be expected from all range areas He used a spot system to illustrate how range conditions can be increased increased increased in in- creased or decreased by the manipulation of plants through grazing drought etc He pointed out that each range area has climax plants that are natural to the area areD With wise range use and management management man man- management the resources can be harvested through grazing without seriously affecting the climax plants Nature a vacuum If we use mis-use the range desirable de plants will be replaced by less desirable species will increase and the range will improve Following these three discussions discussions discussions dis dis- dis- dis at the larkspur control con plots in Hougaard Fork the tour continued to Middle Middle- Fork and North Fork where the Manti ManU Canyon Rehabilitation tion project was explained This is a 10 year 10 year cooperative program between the local grazing association and the Forest Service The project includes includes in in- eludes dividing the canyon into 13 pastures for rotation grazing plowing and reseed reseed- ing and possibly some spray spray- ing Plowing and seeding was done last year Over acres are being plowed and seeded in North Fork at the present time This project was explained explain explain- ed by Karl Haaser District Forest Ranger and Ned Madsen Madsea Mad Mad- sen sea president of the Manti ManU Canyon Cattle Association And some Christians keep the Sabbath wholly for pleas pleas- ure |