Show MAKE RANGE CHECK NOW 71 Z woop 7 Z 51 scientific range checks made on this his grazing unit for five fi ve years enabled the operators to strike a balance between herd numbers and fluctuating forage production calf weights have averaged enraged pounds and the calf crop 90 per cent the range which had been severely depleted is coming back and grass is not being wasted through under grazing handy check sheets enabling a rancher to calculate the carrying capacity of his grazing land in planning herd adjustments may be obtained through soil conservation districts now is the time for morgan county ranchers to take inventory of their grazing land and plan adjustments just ments of herd numbers to the forage supply for the coming year according to mark thackeray chairman of the morgan soil conservation district proper carrying capacity can be established closely and this estimate may mean the difference between profitable production and the light cow and calf weights low calf crops high death losses and depleted and weedy ranges that result from continued overgrazing he pointed out if over a period of years a rancher has been grazing cows weighing around 1000 pounds and getting A per cent calf crop with calf weights averaging more than pounds at six to seven months his range has been supplying the pro proper p er amount of grass these same principles maj may apply to sheep too range forage growth fluctuates greatly in this area and the live stockman sto ekman who hopes to use all of his grass to the best advantage while maintaining these profitable levels of beef production and wool and lamb production must have a flexible enough plan of operation to allow him to strike a continuous balance between stock numbers and feed lie ile likely to be able to do this unless he understands how to appraise the forage supply on his range such guides as the rule that one fourth of the see seed stalks stalk of grass should be left standing in the fall are useful in making this estimate but handy use check sheets issued by the soil conservation district office take the guess work out of range appraisal and make it possible to calculate carrying capacity for the year accurately said mr thackeray A few use checks are being made this fall by the district in cooperation with the ranchers it is planned to make use checks cheaks on a representative number of units to gain an overall estimate of the range condition in morgan county making constant checks of the range conditions is a sensible method of diagnosing its needs john compton chairman of the committee for stream bank control along east canyon creek has stated that the committee plans to meet in the near future some crop land damage occurred along the creek this spring and the committee feels that by close cooperation of all farmers further damage may be avoided |