Short Duration Grazing in Central New Mexico: Effects on Infiltration Rates

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of short duration grazing, continuous grazing, and grazing exclusion on infiltration rates on 2 range sites in southcentral and eastcentral New Mexico. Short duration grazing had no beneficial effect on the hydrology of 2 different range sites. The terminal infiltration rates of both short duration grazing systems, after the cattle had grazed the area, were about one-half the terminal infiltration rate of the same area before the cattle grazed the area. Cattle distribution within the different grazing treatments had no effect on infiltration rates at 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 km away from water for a moderate continuous, heavy continuous, and a short duration grazing system. Moderate continuous grazing was superior to heavy continuous grazing and short duration grazing, based on the hydrologic variables evaluated.