1. Determine the range condition percentage of the following pastures for vegetation Zone I and for vegetation Zone III.

Vegetative Inventory:

Pasture A -- Sands Range Site

Species  Blue grama  Needleandthread  Sedge  Downy brome  Penstemon  Annual sunflower  Prairie sandreed  Sand sagebrush

Composition Percentage  25%  35%  15%   5%    5%    5%    5%    5%

Zone I  15  20  5  0  5  0  5  5       55%

Zone III  10  10  5  0  5  0  5  5        40%

 
 

Pasture B -- Limy Upland range site

Species  Western wheatgrass  Needleandthread  Threadleaf sedge  Blue grama  Broom snakeweed  Sixweeks fescue  Leadplant  Stiff sunflower

Composition Percentage     15%      20%      15%      25%        5%        5%       10%        5%       100%

Zone I  15  20  15  25  0  10  5   90%

Zone III  10  10  10  10  0  10  5   55%

 
 

Pasture C -- Sandy Range Site

Species  Prairie sandreed  Sand paspalum  Sand lovegrass  Little bluestem  Sand bluestem  Switchgrass  Annual eriogonum  Sixweeks fescue  Missouri goldenrod  Purple prairieclover  Sand dropseed

Composition Percentage    20%      5%    15%      5%    10%     5%     5%    10%    15%    5%     5%

Zone I  20  5  0  5  10  5  0  0  10  5   60%

Zone III  20  5  10  5  10  5  0  0  10  5   70%

 

2. What are the stocking rates (in AUM/A) of the following:

                                  Zone I           Zone III

 Pasture A?                  .275                .36
 Pasture B?                   .40                  .385
 Pasture C?                   .35                  .774

3. How much forage is available (in AUM's) in each pasture if they have the following acreage?

                                                      Zone I               Zone III

 Pasture A? - 649 acres                     178                233
 Pasture B? - 850 acres                      340                327
 Pasture C? - 685 acres                      240                530

4. How many cow/calf pairs (1.3 AU) could be carried for a 5-month grazing season on Pasture B?

               Zone I   52                            Zone III   50
 
5. How many yearling steers (.7 A.U.) could be grazed on Pasture A for 4 months?

               Zone I     64                          Zone III   83

6. How many acres are required per Animal Unit month of grazing on Pasture C?

                Zone I    2.85                               Zone III  1.29
 
7. Assume a simple rotational grazing program was used on Pasture A in Zone I.  What would be the new stocking rate (in AUM/A), and how many cow/calf pairs could be carried for 3 months?
 
55 pairs

8. A rancher normally grazed 450 yearlings (.7 A.U.) in a pasture.  The ranch is sold to a cow/calf producer.  How many cow/calf pairs could be put on this pasture in order to have it stocked at the same rate?
 
242 pairs

9. A farmer owns 175 yearling steers (.7 A.U.).  The farmer wants to lease a pasture for them.  How many acres should be leased to carry them for 4 months if the stocking rate is 0.8 A/AUM?
 
392 Acres

10. The Natural Resources Conservation Service clipped samples from a 1000-acre pasture at the end of the season.  They calculated a yield of 2000 lb/A of air dry forage.  Calculate the stocking rate for this pasture, and indicate how many cow/calf pairs could be carried for 4 months.
 
123 pairs

11. Under what conditions might you deviate from the suggested stocking rate and tell why.

Variations in years may leave more or less forage available for livestock.