Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1956

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Animal Science

Abstract

Maximum sustained livestock production can be obtained only through proper grazing practices on the range and efficient feeding practices in the feedlot. Adjusting livestock numbers to prevent overuse of the range resource is the principle problem in securing purpose of South Dakota’s rangelands. There is considerable variation in the intensity of grazing on rangelands in the state. It is recognized that if a range is stocked too heavily the native vegetation deteriorates, causing decreased forage and livestock production and often considerable soil erosion. It is equally apparent hat too light grazing fails to make use of forage, and total livestock production per unit of land is decreased. An intensity of grazing study was initiated in 1942 at the Cottonwood Range Field Station to study the effects of heavy moderate, and light grazing on the vegetation and on cow and calf production. Results of the first nine years of this study were reported in South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 412 in 1951. This thesis reports on the effects of the intensity of grazing on cow and calf production since 1952 and on the cumulative effects of different grazing intensities on the native vegetation and the soil complex, with observations of the effects of grazing treatments on the biota.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Grazing -- South Dakota
Pastures -- South Dakota
Soils -- South Dakota
Cattle -- Feeding and feeds

Description

Includes bibliographical references (pages 198-208)

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

285

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Rights

No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/

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