Pastures of Western Kansas In Relation To Intensity of Utilization In Past Years

Short grass pastures vary in their ability to produce forage for livestock consumption. One of the reasons for this difference is a variation in the degree of utilization in past years. Forage production of short grass ranges has been reduced to about one-half after only a few decades of improper grazing; therefore the problem of proper utilization is becoming more important every year (Forest Service, 1936). When the settlers first came to western Kansas they found an almost complete cover of native vegetation and during the first few years only a small portion of the range land was cultivated. With the coming of the dry land farmer., however., a large percentage of the native prairie was broken. A recent survey shows that in the Great Plains Region there are about 17 million acres of range land as compared to approximately 11 million acre s of crop land (Great Plains Committee., 1936). Many operators were unable to adjust their livestock programs to the range lands that were diminishing in area and yield. Some have reduced their stocking rate so much that it has resulted in their pastures being undergrazed. The major portion of the operators., however, have retained too many animal units on their pastures., which has produced some badly overgrazed grasslands