Vegetation on a clay upland range site in the Kansas 20- to 24-inch precipitation zone was differentially stocked at three rates with yearling cattle for 20 summer grazing seasons. Applications of the currently accepted range condition classification system on yield data for the last 10 grazing seasons indicated need for improvements in classifying range condition for this site. With existing range condition classification concepts, it appeared impossible either to reduce vegetation to poor condition or to maintain excellent range condition under summer grazing. Much of the difficulty was caused by herbaceous species not responding to grazing (decrease, increase, or invade) as classified in the condition guide. A modified range condition classification system incorporating re-evaluated responses of species to grazing was developed from yield regressions and compared with the existing system. The proposed method gave somewhat more consistent condition evaluations and better separation of test pastures into condition classes than the method currently used. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.