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• Because of its size, leafiness, and great abundance, Cambel oak produces a vast <br />amount of herbage, which is usually fair in palatability for all classes of live- <br />stock, and also for deer. On some grass ranges where [here is a scarcity of <br />palatable browse, it is considered fairly good forage. On the other hand, where <br />palatable shrubs are plentiful this species is regarded as having but little for- <br />age value. On overgrazed ranges, this oak is usually grazed so closely as [o <br />form a grazing line, or "high water mark" below which all of the foliage is <br />stripped annually, this is not an uncommon condition along canyon bottoms where <br />cattle congregate. Gambel oak acorns are relatively sweet and are eaten readily <br />by all classes of livestock, deer, and wild turkeys. <br />T , ./{ 2 <br />Forsling and Storm found on a controlled area that heavy use of oak resulted in <br />overgrazing the palatable shrubs and herbaceous species; furthermore, the cattle <br />grazed made poor gains and slow growth, and the calf crop was unsatisfactory. <br />These experimenters found that oak and other less palatable shrubs were always <br />utilized to some extent along with the more palatable species. <br />• Gambel oak is an outstanding species in the history of western oak poisoning. <br />Losses are chiefly restricted to cattle, but sheep have also been reported as <br />affected. Oak poisoning has been reported at all seasons where oak leaves are <br />available, but cattle losses have occurred chiefly in the spring and on ranges <br />where grazing was permitted before other forage was available, or on overgrazed <br />range where cattle were forced to subsist on an almost pure diet of oak. There <br />is little or no danger of oak poisoning when the range is grazed properly. The <br />outstanding symptoms of oak-leaf poisoning are constipation, emaciation, and ede- <br />ma; the feces contain mucus and blood. ~•ro~o~ d... ~ `'+9~ ~~~- o'~-~c(, eow~~' 1. <br />Prunus virginiana <br />(Black common chokecherry) <br />This erect, leafy shrub or small tree, which attains a height of 30 feet or more <br /> is rather common on [he western ranges. The elevational range is from near sea <br /> level at its northern limits and 2,000 fee[ in [he plains east of [he Rockies to <br />. about 9,000 feet in the Colorado mountains. <br />2-90 <br />