Estimating Initial Stocking Rates - USDA

TECHNICAL NOTEUSDA - Natural Resources Conservation ServiceBoise, IdahoTN RANGE NO. 3 JUNE 2009 Estimating Initial Stocking Rates Dan Ogle, Plant Materials Specialist, NRCS, Boise, IDBrendan Brazee, State Rangeland Management Specialist, NRCS, Boise, IDCollecting Production Data Using ft2 Hoop, Clippers, Scale, and Cloth Bag;Photo: Brendan Brazee, NRCS, Boise, ID2 Estimating Initial Stocking Rates Dan Ogle, Plant Materials Specialist, NRCS, Boise, IDBrendan Brazee, State Rangeland Management Specialist, NRCS, Boise, IDStocking rate, defined as, the number of animals allotted to an area for a given length of time is one of the most important grazing management tools a rancher or land manager can manipulate, regardless of the grazing system, vegetation type or kind and class of livestock . Stocking rate has the largest impact on animal performance and the health of the forage resource of all of the management tools available, because it directly influences: xAnimal productivity xForage production xForage quality xSpecies composition over the long term xPlant physiology xProfitability of the operation Establishing a proper Stocking rate is critical to maintaining animal performance and o

Grasses, Grasslikes, Forbs, Shrubs, ... corrects for how much the plant has grown for the year compared against the potential for the year or 100%. Climatic variations are not considered in this step. ... When estimating stocking rates it is a good idea to evaluate availability of forage for livestock based upon topography, distance to water ...

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  Rates, Initial, Grown, Livestock, Usda, Estimating, Forage, Grasses, Stockings, Estimating initial stocking rates, Forage for livestock

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