ABSTRACT
Production-related work on the ranch involves two major activities: manipulating bunchgrass to produce forage with year-round value and breeding and selecting for trouble-free, athletic cattle for which the nutrient requirements fit that grass. Performance information and breed characteristics are looked at in the light of how they fit the year-round forage resource. Beef cows exist to convert forage to food. During the fall, winter, and early spring, the cattle are divided into 3 or 4 herds. During the spring they may stay in the same unit for several weeks as they graze regrowth. The Tarentaise also show ability to increase the rate of gain of their offspring over that of the British breeds, and to improve carcass quality by reducing fat and increasing length.
