B288
Grazing Management (Salt, Water, and Fencing)

Introduction: Overgrazing on rangelands is not always caused by grazing too many animals. If stock are not properly distributed over the range, overgrazing can be severe in certain spots, even with limited stock numbers. Livestock naturally congregate in certain areas, and the stock owner must do every everything possible to move animals away from these places. The most frequently used areas of the range are meadows, bottoms, low saddles between watersheds or drainage; and around water holes, windmills, and stock tanks. Steep sloped ground and areas fairly far from stock water sources tend to be less utilized. Many overgrazed ranges can be improved and without a reduction in livestock numbers if the animals can be distributed more uniformly. This adjustment in grazing management will involve some of the following tools: salt-mineral supplements, stock water placement, and fencing.

Salt-mineral Supplements: Salt-mineral supplements (blocks) are possibly the easiest and perhaps the most effective means of improving livestock distribution. Salt has been referred to by some producers as the "cheapest labor on the place." Salt is essential for meeting the dietary needs of grazing livestock, and animals will move significant distances to have access to it.

Timing is Important on Seasonal Mountain Ranges: The livestock producer must know the suitable time to graze on different parts of his/her seasonal mountain ranges. If the salt-mineral supplement is placed on most all parts of unfenced range in the spring, sheep and goats will move rapidly over the entire area, reaching the higher elevations before they should be grazed. Most of these grazing problems can be prevented if the salt-mineral supplements are distributed on the lower ranges in the early part of the season and carefully moved up the mountains as the season progresses.

Place Salt Away from Stock Water Sites: Livestock do not naturally require water in the same area they consume salt. Normally, stock graze to salt and then graze away. There is usually a 6-7 hour delay between the times when livestock consume salt and when they have a desire to drink. The producer that puts his/her salt at or near the watering site is not only increasing the concentration of livestock at the water but is also missing the use of a valuable tool for attracting the animals to graze in little-used areas away from water.

Number of Salt-Mineral Places Should Depend on Grazing Capacity: Salt-mineral supplements should be placed in lightly-grazed or ungrazed (rested) sites, away from water and where the soil is not highly erodible. Salt-mineral sites may be as far as 1.5 to 2.0 miles apart in rolling country with moderate to low grazing capacity. On moderate to high-capacity paddocks (range), one mile between the salt-mineral grounds is adequate. On any range pasture, it is better to have too many salt-mineral places rather than too few.

Location: Correct location of stock water is very important in helping the producer obtain full use of his/her range. In semi-arid areas, many livestock producers are willing to utilize water from any source, but a few items should be considered before any permanent water developments are constructed. There should be an adequate supply of forage to support the water development. Locations should be chosen that provide water for multiple pastures.

Dirt-Colloidal Clay (Bentonite) Tanks: Evaluate the possibilities for dirt-clay sealed tanks in areas that have good surface drainage. When tanks are constructed, they should be deeper at one end and have as little surface area as possible to reduce evaporative losses. If a year-round facility is impractical, these may also serve as temporary water sites during the wet or snow melt run-off season.

Pipelines: Large plastic (PVC) pipe has been used effectively throughout the United States to move water via pipe from one paddock to another or to other locations within the same allotment. Generally, this method of stock water enhancement is often the less expensive route than the installation of windmills, dirt tanks, and wells.

Size, Vegetation Type, and Topography Indicate Fencing Requirements: Livestock distribution can often be improved by reducing the size of extremely large pastures and allotments. Select fence locations that will best utilize current water locations and vegetative types. Rough, broken country is best managed differently from flat, level, and rolling country.