OCR Text |
Show PART II PRESENT STATUS OF IRRIGATION The proportion of total sales attributed to irrigated land in the region is as follows: All fruits and vegetables are irrigated crops. About 65 percent of the field crops and field grains is produced on ir- rigated croplands. With the possible exception of protein supplements, most of the feed inputs to dairy products is produced on irrigated land within the region. In addition to hay, corn silage, feed grains, and wheat fed to livestock, irrigated pasture land and crop aftermath met approximately 18 percent of the total pasture and range requirements meas- ured on an AUM basisi/ for cattle and sheep in the region. Of the total feed (total digestible nutrients) ingested by livestock in the region in 1965, ^3 percent was produced on irrigated lands and 57 percent was from dry land rotation pasture and rangeland. Total value of irrigated cropland production in the Upper Colorado Region is $6l,Ma,000 based on 1965 prices. The value of production by subregions is $17,734,000 for the Green River, $33,0^6,000 for the Upper Main Stem and $10,651,000 for the San Juan-Colorado. Irrigated pasture provides feed for range cattle in the Upper Colorado Region. 1/ Animal unit month. This represents the amount of feed needed to keep a beef cow for 1 month. Thus, a beef cow is 1 animal unit. A sheep is considered to be 1/5 of an animal unit. 53 |