The operating costs for farms and ranches in the United States have increased 81 percent between 1970 and 1976. Calf prices over this same period have fluctuated dramatically and have fallen from a high of $58/cwt in 1973 to a low of $2 6/ cwt in 1975. Since 1973, the increasing operating costs have exceeded the returns gene rated by the low calf prices and have left operators in a negative financial position. This case study has shown that the operator has increased both the scale and efficiency of his operation through improved lives tock husbandry and range improvements , yet has been unable to keep up with the increase in operating costs. A res t rot at ion grazing system and associated range improvements were implemented in 1970 on the summer mountain range. The resultant increase in forage prod uction allowed a 45 percent increase in the breeding herd. The meadow hayland and crested wheat grass pastures were also improved to provide winter and spring forage for the increased number of cows. The calf crop weaned and average weaning weights increased from 86 percent and 347 pound s i n 1970 to 93 percent and 363 pounds i n 1976. The total pounds of calf weaned increased 60 percent between 1970 and 1976. The tremendous increase in beef production was offset by the rampant increase in op e rating costs. The net return in 1970 was $2 , lOo but dropped to a loss of - $3,671 i n 1976. However, had the operator not increased the level of production while the operating costs increased, his net loss in 1976 would have been - $24 , 718 . Although the net returns a re negative , the increase in returns over the base level of production is positive. The internal rate of return and net present worth of the grazing system and its associated improvements was 25 percent and $95 ,027 respectively. TI1 e operator has been successful in developing his range and livestock resource and increasing calf production. It is paradoxical that the increase in returns above the base production have rendered the improvements economically profit able yet the combination of increasing operating costs and low livestock prices have produced a negative return from 1974 through 1976.

This story suite is a work of autobiographical fiction, a coming of age tale which uses a young girl’s relationship to horses—along with various people and places connected to the horse world—as its narrative theme. The collection is comprised of twelve chapters, including an Introduction and Prologue and much later, an Interlude and Conclusion. While the first person narrative voice is maintained through most of the chapters herein, the Interlude uses second-person perspective. Additionally, NOW DEPARTING is written in the present narrative tense. Poems are interspersed throughout the work, between chapters, as transitional bridges for the reader.

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Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 113-116). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A. in anthropology)--Washington State University. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.P.)--University of Wyoming, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on June 15, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 81-83).

This paper deals with a study of the ranch lands in Cooke, Wise, Denton, and Montague Counties, which are located in the North Grand Prairie of Texas.

This investigation has been made with reference to the adaptability of Andropogon ischaemum, King Ranch bluestem, to various soils, various slopes, and various erosion conditions in Denton County.

The purpose of this study was to determine the optimum combination of various cattle production, range forage, and crop harvesting alternatives available to ranch owners and managers in Utah. While many promising alternatives are available, determining which alternatives to implement is difficult because the total ranch operation must be considered. Linear programming (LP) is a tool available to ranch managers which allows the profit maximizing combination of improvements to be easily determined. LP allows ranchers to examine the entire ranch operation and to reduce the amount of risk and uncertainty involved in the decision making process. The typical Utah ranch operation was described from a sample of 96 Utah ranches. Sixteen potential cattle options, 11 range forage options, and 3 crop options were developed to improve net variable cash ranch income of the typical Utah ranch. An LP model was developed to determine the optimum combination and level of options, the most efficient options, and the limiting constraints. Four scenarios based on range site and bush infestation type were compared to add flexibility to the model. The optimal solution ran 266 brood cows under the O'Connor Management System (cows in moderate body condition at calving, 60-day calving season, 48-hour calf removal, cows gaining weight for 5 weeks starting 2 weeks before breeding season, and cows bred to fertile bulls) compared to 196 brood cows under the typical situation. In all optimization runs, burning big sage brush (artemesia tridentata) or pinyon-juniper (Pinus - Juniperus) infestations on crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum) foothill ranges was the most economically efficient range forage option. The most economically efficient crop option was the combination of grazing the grass hayfields and custom harvesting the alfalfa hayfields. It was necessary to construct stock water ponds and properly distribute salt to increase summer forage availability. The optimum combination of improvements required 808 hours of hired labor. The net variable cash ranch income after burning sagebrush or pinyon-juniper types was $56,145 and $55,861, respectively compared to $31,278 for the typical Utah cow-calf operation. The optimal solution will change as input and product prices change. The model was not designed to make general recommendations but to be applied to specific ranching operations.