An Economic Analysis of Forest Grazing on Four Timber Management Situations

Abstract

Abstract Increasing pressures to find new sources of forage for beef production have stimulated continued exploration into the economic potential for raising beef cattle on forested lands in the South. Four timber management alternatives were evaluated, including a 30-year rotation without thinning, a 30-year rotation with thinning in year 15 to 70 ft.² basal area per acre, a 40-year rotation with thinnings in years 15 and 27, and a 60-year rotation with thinnings in years 15, 25, 35 and 48. Rotational prescribed burning, supplemental feeding, and controlled breeding provided 80-percent calf crops and 443-pound weaning weights. The analysis indicated variations in the rate of return on investment in the cattle operations from .5 percent for the 30-year, no-thinning alternative to 4.5 percent for the 40-year, with-thinning alternative.