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Effects Of Season And Intensity Of Use On Desert Vegetation, C. Wayne Cook

UAES Bulletins

Desert ranges of the Great Basin area support about 9 million cattle and sheep for 5 to 6 months each winter. Many of these same ranges are used by cattle year-long.

If forage is not available on desert ranges, livestock have to be wintered on farmsteads or in feedlots after they are forced from the mountains and foothills by snow. Since feeding during the winter is expensive and reduces the economic efficiency of the range livestock operation, there is real advantage in properly managing the desert ranges and conserving the supply of forage for winter grazing.

Managing desert ranges for …