Does size matter? Animal units and animal unit months

Lamar Smith; Joe Hicks; Scott Lusk; Mike Hemmovich; Shane Green; Sarah McCord; Mike Pellant; John Mitchell; Judith Dyess; Jim Sprinkle; Amanda Gearhart; Sherm Karl; Mike Hannemann; Ken Spaeth; Jason Karl; Matt C. Reeves; Dave Pyke; Jordan Spaak; Andrew Brischke; Del Despain; Matt Phillippi; Dave Weixelmann; Alan Bass; Jessie Page; Lori Metz; David Toledo; Emily Kachergis

doi:10.1016/j.rala.2016.12.002

Treesearch

Does size matter? Animal units and animal unit months

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Lamar Smith, Joe Hicks, Scott Lusk, Mike Hemmovich, Shane Green, Sarah McCord, Mike Pellant, John Mitchell, Judith Dyess, Jim Sprinkle, Amanda Gearhart, Sherm Karl, Mike Hannemann, Ken Spaeth, Jason Karl, Matt C. Reeves, Dave Pyke, Jordan Spaak, Andrew Brischke, Del Despain, Matt Phillippi, Dave Weixelmann, Alan Bass, Jessie Page, Lori Metz, David Toledo, Emily Kachergis

Year:

2017

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2016.12.002

Source:

Rangelands. 39(1): 17-19.

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Abstract

The concepts of animal units, animal unit months, and animal unit equivalents have long been used as standards for range management planning, estimating stocking rates, reporting actual use, assessing grazing fees, ranch appraisal, and other purposes. Increasing size of cattle on rangelands has led some to suggest that the definition of animal units and animal unit months requires revision. Range managers need to understand these concepts and arbitrarily changing them would lead to confusion. The Rangeland Assessment and Monitoring Committee reviewed this issue and concluded that the existing definitions are adequate to accommodate increasing size of cattle.

Keywords

animal unit, animal unit month, animal unit equivalent, stocking rates, forage requirement, cow weights

Citation

Smith, Lamar; Hicks, Joe; Lusk, Scott; Hemmovich, Mike; Green, Shane; McCord, Sarah; Pellant, Mike; Mitchell, John; Dyess, Judith; Sprinkle, Jim; Gearhart, Amanda; Karl, Sherm; Hannemann, Mike; Spaeth, Ken; Karl, Jason; Reeves, Matt; Pyke, Dave; Spaak, Jordan; Brischke, Andrew; Despain, Del; Phillippi, Matt; Weixelmann, Dave; Bass, Alan; Page, Jessie; Metz, Lori; Toledo, David; Kachergis, Emily. 2017. Does size matter? Animal units and animal unit months. Rangelands. 39(1): 17-19.