RANGELANDS12(4), August 1990 213 Early Use of Soaptree Yucca as Emergency Feed M. Karl Wood, Herman S. Mayeux, Jr., and Eddie L. Garcia By 1900 most rangelands inthe southwestern U.S. were This species is oneof the more common and conspicuous stocked to a level where periodic droughts left livestock plants of the desertSouthwest and is the state flower of without sufficient feed. Droughts occurredat intervalsof New Mexico. Beautiful clusters of waxy-white flowers 3 to 10 years and lasted up to several years. Ranchers adornthe plant in May and June. This impressive plant is quickly looked foremergency feed. The lack of transpor- often reproducedon canvas, sculpture, and film by artists tation limited availability of supplements such as fodder and photographers. crops from irrigated lands. The only alternatives were Soaptree yucca occurs from western Texas, through native plants that might be more palatable if properly southern New Mexico and southern Arizona, and south prepared. Many plant species wereconsidered and used, intonorthern Mexico. It is found on dry, sandyplains and but early in the century the most widely and frequently mesas to clayey and gravely soils. Originally, its most used emergencyfeed was soaptree yucca(Yuccaelata), common associate was black grama. Soaptree yucca also called soapweed, palmilla, or ooce. persists in association with mesquite, snakeweed, and Soaptree yucca resembles a palm, growing to30 feetin other plants of low palatability. height and crownedwith a dense tuft ofswordlike leaves. If within reach, thesucculent flowersand flower stalks are in the Authors are professor, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New eagerly sought by cattle. The growing tips MexicoState University88003, and rangescientist and rangetechnician, U.S. center of the upper circle of leaves are also grazed to Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Temple, Texas 76502, and Jornada ExperimentalRange, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003- some extent whileyoung and fleshy, especially during a 0003,respectively. The leafyupper portionof the soapweedyucca plant was sometimeschopped to makeensilage. Stems or, more commonly, stems and leaves, were chopped and fed immediatelyfrom troughs or bunkers(photo by C.E. Fleming, 1916). 214 RANGELANDS12(4), August 1990 ChoppIng Soaptree Yucca Soaptree yuccawas being fedto cattle inthe Southwest soon afterthe turn of the century,but it was utilized most extensivelyas an emergency feed during a drought from 1915 through 1918. As early as 1910, E.J. Moyer of Wil- Icox,Arizona, fedsoaptree yuccato 40 cowsfor 3 months. J.H. Lowdonof Bowie, Arizona, began feedingthe plants in 1913. He beganby testing the method on 20cows and was feedingsoaptree yucca to 500 cowsby 1918.Accord- Jim Jardine Chief Duringthe droughtof 1915-1918, soaptree yucca was harvested ing to (1917), of the Office of Grazing by handand hauled in wagons to feed cattle atwatering placesor in Studies in the Forest Service and later in charge of all drylot/n southern NewMexico andArizona (photoby C.L. Forsiing, experimentstations operated by the U.S. Department of 1918). Agriculture, C.T. "T-Hook" Turney of MesiUa Park intro- duced the practice to New Mexico in 1914. Mr. Turney was cooperatingwith the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the JornadaRange Reserve (now theJornada Experi- mental Range) with morethan 5,000 cattle.Turney began moreextensive feedingtrials usingthe plant tops in 1915. Prior to 1917, soaptree yucca was harvested and chopped into small pieces with hand axes. One person was required for every 40 cows, andthe work was tedious. Handchopping often resultedin cowschoking in attempts toswallow pieces that weretoo large. At leastone cow on the Jornada Range Reserve died from starvation as a result of a large piece wedged in the esophagus. Bloat was an occasional problem. Soaptree yucca was later processed with machines in combinationwith extensive labor. Accordingto R.H. Wil- On the Jornada Range Reserve, now the AgriculturalResearch liams (1918) with the University of Arizona, soaptree Service'sJornada Experimental Rangenear Las Cruces, NewMex- was with tools and machines deadleaves were removed the stems yucca initially processed ico, byburning soaptreeyucca other uses. Cook and Johnson Willcox, priorto chopping and feeding (photo by C.L Forsling, 1918). designed for of Arizona, cut the stems into 12- to 14-inch lengths, split them, and fedthe pieces through a 12-inch silage cutter. Powers and McCord of San Simon, Arizona, used a large knife attached to a leverto slice stalks.In May1917, a man in Thatcher,Arizona, devised and builta yucca slicer, but further chopping with axes was often required. J.H. Ranch, north of Wilcox, arranged a vertical pumpjack with astroke plunger to cut the stemsinto short pieces.It soon became apparent that using ordinary silage cutters andother ill-adapted equipment wasunsatisfactory. Heav- ier machines were needed and sought from machine shops. By 1918, several specially designed machines were made for reducingthe soaptree yucca stems to fodder.A pecsaiiy aesigned cnoppersand cutters were manufacturecdfor wood-pulping "hog" for cutting up wood for paper pulp processing soaptree yucca. The one pictured here was belt-driven was adapted with some success. The wood-pulping andpowered by the gasoline engineshown at the left. The finished "hog" was modifiedby screwinga Set of smallteeth intoa productappears to the right of the photograph (photoby C.L. For- sling, 1918). cylinder so that eachtooth could strike at a differenttime. Output was about 1 ton per hour. dearth of other forage. The sharp points on the leaves One machine, called the "Ideal", was manufacturedby discouragegrazing, but hungry cattle learn to chew the Peterson of Deming, New Mexico.Another machine, the leaves from the centeror base, Out towardthe sharp end. "Crackerjack",was sold by the firmof Krakauer, Zark,and In recent times,Nelson et al. (1970) observed cattlegraz- Moyeof El Paso,Texas. An unnamed machinewas manu- ing soaptreeyucca on the Jornada Experimental Range facturedby Davies in Deming. It hadtriangular knives like in southern New Mexico from Novemberthrough Febru- thoseon thecutter bar of a mowingmachine but bolted to ary, when availabiUty of more succulent forage was the face of a cylinder. The knives sliced the stems into limited. Compared to other plants, soaptree yucca is pieces 1/2 to 3/4 thick. harsh,tough forage. Successful machines were all modificationsof a single RANGELANDS12(4), August 1990 215 plan. A heavy castcylinder revolved on a horizontalshaft about150 tons ofchopped heads and leaves wereput into and carried knives or cutting teeth that passed close to a a silo in December1915. The silo was openedthe follow- chopping block to which the material was carried by ing March and 10 tons werefed. Cows relished the ensil- somefeeding mechanism orby gravity from an overhead age but had difficulty eating the large chunks. The silo hopper.A 12to 14 hp gasoline enginewas used to power was opened again in January 1918, and 30 tons of the the machines. These machines would chop from 1-1/2to ensilagewere fed. About 15 lbs of a mixtureof soaptree 2tons per hour.With the largest machines, acrew of three yucca ensilageand cottonseedmeal, in aratio of 10 lbsto personscould chop from 15 to 20 tons of soaptreeyucca 1, were fed to each cow daily. The ensilage was well in a 10-hour day. One machine could provide enough preserved, and the leaves had softened, butthe fiber was food for 500 cows with onlyone-fifth the labor required still tough. for hand-chopping. By 1918,prolonged drought had prevailed over muchof Early machines had wheels and moved from place to the Southwestfor several years, and feeding of soaptree place. Near corrals, the engine which pumped water yucca was widespread. On the Jornada Range Reserve, could be used to power the chopper.During the worst of cows in poor condition were separated from the main the drought, cattle in very poor condition were fed at herd and held in a feedlot. They were fed 25 lbs of wateringplaces because they weretoo weakto walk very choppedsoaptree yucca and3 lbs of cottonseedmeal per far to water. day for 20to 30days. After an additional35 to40 days on a 15- to 20-lb 85% of these cows were back on Harvesting Soaptree Yucca ration, put the rangeand given 1.5 lbs of cottonseed cakedaily. More As leaves the plant grows, the lower in the cluster die than 1,000 cattle were placedon feedlots and fed and close to the where remain. C.L. during hang stem, they thefirst sixmonths of 1918.A total of 306 tons ofsoaptree Forsling (1918), who was superintendentof the Jornada Experimental Reserve from 1917 to 1920, claimed that these dry leaves were low in nutritive value, low in palata- bility, and high in crude fiber content, making digestion difficult.The dead leaves wereburned before plants were harvested on the Jornada Range Reserve.The succulent stemand greenfoliage werenot harmed by burning. One person could burn the dead portionsfrom 8 to 10 tons of soaptreeyucca per day. A dead, dry trunk was used as a torch. This usually posed no wildfire hazard because therewas not enough litter on the groundduring droughts to spread the fire. When conditions were conducive to wildfires, plants were hauled to the chopping machine arid arrangedon theground in rows,two plantswide with the butts together and the greentops to the outside. This arrangement prevented the firefrom becoming hotenough to burn the green leaves or stems. Shrinkagewas about 30% of the original weight, so the advantage to burning beforetransporting was obvious.Williams (1918) recom- mended againstburning. Cowswere less subjectto bloat and scouring because the dry leaves furnishedconsider- able bulk and dry matter. Dry leaves did notinterf ere with Ensilage made fromsoaptree yucca is ready to beplaced in a pit were in the first. silo. Note the fibrous nature ofthe ensilage(photo byC.E. Fleming, chopping if plants placed hoppers head 1916). Four personswith two wagons and eight mulescould cutand haul Btons per daywhen the haul was notover 2.5 yucca were fed during this period.