On the choice between the stocking rate and time in range management

A long standing question in range management concerns the relative importan ce of the stocking rate versus the length of time during which animals graz e a particular rangeland. We address this question by analyzing the problem faced by a private rancher who wishes to minimize the long run expected ne t unit cost (LRENC) from range operations by choosing either the stocking r ate or the length of time during which his animals graze his rangeland. We construct a renewal-theoretic model and show that, in general, this rancher 's LRENC with an optimally chosen stocking rate is lower than his LRENC wit h an optimally chosen grazing cycle length. From a management perspective, this means that correct stocking of the range is more important than the le ngth of time during which animals graze the range. In addition, our researc h shows how to address questions concerning the desirability of temporal ve rsus non-temporal controls in managing natural resources such as fisheries and hunting grounds.