Stocking Rate Decisions Key to Successful Ranch Management

On any ranch, decisions must be made as to the management of each ranch resource (land, animals, personnel, facilities and finances). When those deci-sions are made with specific short- and long-term goals in mind, and when all the sociological, political and environmental aspects of management are taken into consideration, the result will be successful ranch management. The decisions that will achieve successful ranch management are different for each enterprise be-cause each ranch has its own resources. Rangeland is a ranch’s main resource for producing income and other benefits to the ranch and society. The use of the range affects all other ranch resources, the achieve-ment of goals and the sustainability of the ranch. The stocking rate for grazing animals is a crucial decision which affects the rangeland and, therefore, the suc-cess of the ranch