77-6-201. Appraisal of grazing lands. (1) The department shall appraise the grazing lands owned by the state as to their animal-unit-month carrying capacity and make and preserve records of carrying capacity in its office and from time to time reexamine these lands as to their animal-unit-month carrying capacity in order to keep the records in its office reasonably accurate.

(2) In appraising these grazing lands, the following factors must be taken into consideration:

(a) inventory of the forage resources, including kind, amount, and location of vegetation;

(b) accessibility and usability of this forage resource as influenced by topography, availability of stock water, and season of usability;

(c) condition of soils, including the erosion situation;

(d) other and related resources such as timber, game animals, and need for watershed protection;

(e) record of needed improvements and facilities, including fuel and stock water, revegetation, rodent control, trails, fences, and the like;

(f) pertinent facts and figures submitted by stockgrowers living in the area and directors of state grazing districts including the land or in its vicinity;

(g) carrying capacity set for similar land in a state grazing district in which the land is situated.