range condition & stocking rate. range condition determining the health of a range need to know:...

Range Condition & Stocking Rate

Range Condition• Determining the health of a range

• Need to know:– Region (Eastern Glaciated Plains)– Range Site (Thin Silty)– Plants Present and amounts of each in percent

• Place plants in correct categories on worksheet

• Rule out any invaders

• Determine maximum allowable per plant

Determine the Range Condition• Eastern Glaciated Plains

• “Clayey” Range Site

Bluebunch Wheatgrass 25%

Green Needlegrass 20%

Plains Muhly 15%

Smooth Brome 10%

Western Yarrow 10%

Drummon Milkvetch 10%

Rubber Rabbitbrush 10%

Determine the Range Condition

• Complete Range Condition Worksheet

• Fill in plants and percentages that are present

Estimate of % of Est. Total Allowable

Total Comp. You Can (Adjust)

GRASSES & GRASSLIKES by % Count

Basin wildryeBearded wheatgrassBluebunch wheatgrass 25Green needlegrass 20Indian ricegrassLittle bluestemNeedle and threadNebraska sedgePlains muhly 15Prairie chordgrassPrairie sandreedSlender wheatgrassWestern & thickspike wheatgrassSmooth Brome 10*

FORBS AND CACTUSWestern Yarrow 10Drummon Milkvetch 10******

TOTAL FORBS % % %

SHRUBS & TREESChokecherryWinterfatRubber Rabbitbrush 10**

Range Condition• Determine the Total Percent of plants you are

allow to have

• Put these maximums in the second column of the worksheet

• Determine Condition– Poor = 0% - 25%– Fair = 26% - 50%– Good = 51% to 75%– Excellent = 76% - 100%




Basin wildryeBearded wheatgrassBluebunch wheatgrass 25 40Green needlegrass 20 30Indian ricegrassLittle bluestemNeedle and threadNebraska sedgePlains muhly 15 10Prairie chordgrassPrairie sandreedSlender wheatgrassWestern & thickspike wheatgrassSmooth Brome 10 0*******

TOTAL GRASSES % 80% %

FORBS AND CACTUSWestern Yarrow 10 5Drummon Milkvetch 10 5******

TOTAL FORBS % 10% %

SHRUBS & TREESChokecherryWinterfatRubber Rabbitbrush 10 5****

TOTAL SHRUBS 100% 5% %


• Determine the Adjusted Maximum Percentages Allowed

• Choose the “smaller” number of the first two columns and place in the last column




Basin wildryeBearded wheatgrassBluebunch wheatgrass 25 40 25Green needlegrass 20 30 20Indian ricegrassLittle bluestemNeedle and threadNebraska sedgePlains muhly 15 10 10Prairie chordgrassPrairie sandreedSlender wheatgrassWestern & thickspike wheatgrassSmooth Brome 10 0 0*******

TOTAL GRASSES % 80% 55%

FORBS AND CACTUSWestern Yarrow 10 5 5Drummon Milkvetch 10 5 5******

TOTAL FORBS % 10% 10%

SHRUBS & TREESChokecherryWinterfatRubber Rabbitbrush 10 5 5****

TOTAL SHRUBS 100% 5% 5%TOTAL ALL SPECIES ------------- -------------

RANGE CONDITION RATING ------------- ------------- 70%


• Determine Range Condition Rating– 70%

• Determine the Range Condition– Good

• Complete Stocking Rate Problems

Terms

• Animal Unit = forage consumption of a 1,000 # cow (dry or with calf)– all other animals are compared to a cow– Bull & Horse = 1.25 AU– Sheep = .2 AU

• Animal Unit Month (AUM) = amount of forage required to feed one AU for one Month

Calculating Stocking Rates• AUM’s/acre X Acres = Total AUM’s

• .2 AUM’s/acre x 1000 acres = 200 AUM’s

• How many cows can you run for 4 months?

• AUM / M = AU

• Answer = 200 / 4 = 50

• How many months can you run 25 cows?

• AUM / AU = M

• Answer = 200 / 25 = 8 months

Calculating Stocking Rates• How many months for a herd of 50 sheep and 10

cows?

• AUM / AU = M

• 200 / ((50 x .2) + (10 x 1)) = 10• How many cows along with 4 horses for 2 months?

• AUM / M = AU

• 200 / 2 = 100 AU

• 100 AU = (4 x 1.25) + cows

• 100 - 5 = 95 cows

Calculating Stocking Rates

• How many cows along with 50 sheep and 4 horses for 4 months?

• AUM / M = AU

• 200 / 4 = 50 AU

• 50 AU = (50 x .2) + (4 x 1.25 ) + cows

• 50 = 10 + 5 + cows

• 35 = cows

range condition & stocking rate. range condition determining the health of a range need to know:...

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