Dry Loamy Slopes

Description

If ecological retrogression is cattle induced, desirable grasses and grasslike plants will decrease. Parry oatgrass elk sedge, Arizona fescue, western wheatgrass, and mountain muhly are early decreasers under continuous season long grazing, and will be the first to disappear from the site. With the reduction of more palatable species, blue grama, bottlebrush squirreltail, and slimstem muhly will increase along with fringed sage, pingue hymenoxys, northwest cinquefoil, gray horsebrush, small (yellow) rabbitbrush, yellow eriogonum, plains prickly pear, and small soapweed.

Annual production
If the range is in excellent condition, the approximate total annual production (air-dry) is:
Favorable years 950 pounds/Ac
Normal years 800 pounds/Ac
Unfavorable years 600 pounds/Ac

Of this production, 15 to 20 percent will likely be unpalatable or out of reach of grazing animals.

Submodel