Livestock VS. Wild Horses

Updated: 2018

Wild Horses of the West

  • BLM manages 245 million acres of public land in the U.S. 
  • Source: BLM
  • Livestock grazing is authorized on 155 million of BLM land. 
  • Source: BLM
  • Wild horses and burros are restricted to 26.9 million acres of BLM land, the vast majority shared with livestock.
  • Source: BLM
  • Over 80 percent of BLM rangelands grazed by livestock have no wild horses present on them. 

Wild Horses of Nevada: Quick Facts

  • BLM-Nevada authorizes 12,811 wild horses and burros to live on 15.7 million acres of public land in the entire state.
  • Source: BLM
  • BLM-Nevada administers 797 grazing allotments across approximately 43 million acres of public lands throughout the State.
  • Source: BLM-Nevada
  • BLM-Nevada authorizes 2 million Animal Unit Months (AUMs) for livestock or the annual equivalent of approximately 167,000 cow/calf pairs.
  • Source: BLM-Nevada

Wild Horses of Utah: Quick Facts

  • BLM-Utah authorizes 1,956 wild horses and burros to live on 2.5 million acres of public land in the entire state.
  • Source: BLM and BLM Utah
  • BLM-Utah administers 1410 grazing permits across approximately 22 million acres of public lands throughout the State.
  • Source: BLM-Utah
  • BLM-Utah authorizes 1.3 million Animal Unit Months (AUMs) for livestock or the annual equivalent of approximately 108,300 cow/calf pairs.
  • Source: BLM-Utah

Wild Horses of Oregon/Washington: Quick Facts

  • BLM-Oregon authorizes 2,715 wild horses and burros to live on 2.9 million acres of public lands in the entire state.
  • Source:  BLM
  • BLM-Oregon/Washington authorizes 1,050,000 Animal Unit Months (AUMs) for livestock or the annual equivalent of approximately 87,500 cow/calf pairs.
  • Source: BLM Public Land Statistics

Wild Horses of California: Quick Facts

  • BLM-California authorizes 2,200 wild horses and burros to live on 2.5 million acres of public lands in the entire state.
  • Source:  BLM
  • BLM-California administers 665 grazing allotments across 6.1 million acres of public lands.
  • Source: BLM California
  • BLM-California authorizes 472,000 Animal Unit Months (AUMs) for livestock or the annual equivalent of approximately 39,300 cow/calf pairs.
  • Source: BLM California