LOCATION SLAUGHTER               TX+NM

Established Series
Rev. TCB-SSS-RM
09/2023

SLAUGHTER SERIES


The Slaughter series consists of soils that are shallow to a petrocalcic horizon. They are well drained, moderately slowly permeable soils formed in loamy and clayey eolian sediments over a layer of indurated caliche which is underlain by loamy calcareous material derived from the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age. Slaughter soils are on broad, smooth, nearly level to very gently sloping plains. Slopes range from 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 456 mm (18 in) and the mean annual air temperature is about 16 degrees C (61 degrees F).

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Clayey, mixed, superactive, thermic, shallow Petrocalcic Paleustolls

TYPICAL PEDON:Slaughter loam, on southwest facing, nearly level plain, 0.5 percent slope in native rangeland at an elevation of about 1,127 m (3,698 ft). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated).

A--0 to 17 cm (0 to 7 in); brown (7.5YR 4/2) loam, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable; moderately sticky, moderately plastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; slightly alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Thickness is 10 to 20 cm [4 to 8 in].)

Bt--17 to 42 cm (7 to 17 in); brown (7.5YR 4/2) clay, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to strong medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, very firm, very sticky, very plastic; many fine and medium roots throughout; 50 percent prominent clay films on vertical faces of peds; slightly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary. (Thickness is 10 to 40 cm [4 to 16 in].)

Bkkm--42 to 100 cm (17 to 39 in) cemented material; Laminar cap 2-5 mm thick, lateral continuity 10 to 20 cm, brecciated with pisolitic structure; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (Thickness is 40 to 80 cm [16 to 32 in].)

2BCkk--100 to 203 cm (39 to 80 in) very gravelly loam, 45 percent 2 to 75 mm nonflat subangular indurated petrocalcic fragments. 55 percent calcium carbonate as nodules, masses and finely disseminated; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION:Yoakum County, Texas; from the intersection of U.S Highways 380 and 82 and Texas State highway 214 in Plains; 3.8 miles north on Texas State highway 214; 3.2 miles west on Yoakum County Road 10, 0.4 miles southwest on private ranch road; site is 680 ft northwest of road in rangeland. Latitude: 33 degrees, 14 minutes, 12.26 seconds N; Longitude: 102 degrees, 52 minutes, 39.71 seconds W; Plains NW NE, Texas USGS quad; NAD 83.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil Moisture: An ustic moisture regime bordering on aridic. The soil moisture control section is dry in some or all parts for more than 180 but less than 205 days, cumulative, in normal years. October through March are the driest months. These soils are intermittently moist April through September.
Mean annual soil temperature: 15 to 18 degrees C (59 to 64 degrees F).
Thickness of mollic epipedon: 18 to 40 cm (7 to 16 in).
Depth to petrocalcic horizon: 25 to 50 cm (10 to 20 in).
Particle size control section: greater than 35 percent silicate clay.

A horizon
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Effervescence: none or very slight
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

Bt horizons:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3
Texture: clay loam, clay
Clay content: 35 to 45 percent
Visible secondary carbonate: less than 2 percent in the lower portion of the Bt horizon.
Effervescence: none or very slight
Reaction: neutral or slightly alkaline

Bkkm horizons:
Dominantly 15 to 64 cm (6 to 25 in) thick, but ranches up to 80 cm (32 in) thick in some pedons. It is indurated to strongly cemented caliche and contains a few fractures and solution channels.m.

BCkk horizons:
Hue: 5YR or 7.5YR
Value: 6 to 8 dry, 5 to 7 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: loam, sandy clay loam, clay loam
Rock fragment content: 35 to 60 percent as very strongly cemented carbonate nodules and/or petrocalcic fragments
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 50 to 75 percent by volume
Effervescence: violent
Reaction: moderately alkaline or strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES:There are no series in the same family. Similar soils are the Arvana,Friona,Sharvana,Kimberson,Stohman,Kimbrough,Eunice,Douro, Spraberry, and Stegallseries.
Arvanaseries: does not have a mollic epipedon, and has a petrocalcic horizon at depths 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 in) from the soil surface.
Stegallseries: has a petrocalcic horizon at depths 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 in) from the soil surface.

Frionaseries: has less than 35 percent silicate clay in the particle size control section.
Sharvanaseries: does not have a mollic epipedon and has less than 35 percent silicate clay in the particle size control section.
KimbersonandStohmanseries: do not have argillic horizons and have less than 35 percent clay in the particle size control section.
KimbroughandEuniceseries: do not have argillic horizons and are dry in the moisture control section for longer periods.
DouroandSpraberryseries: have less than 35 percent clay in the particle size control section and are dry in the soil moisture control section for longer periods.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: calcareous, loamy eolian deposits from the Blackwater Draw Formation of Pleistocene age.
Landform: nearly level to gently sloping plains, commonly adjacent to draws.
Slopes: 1 to 5 percent.
Mean annual air temperature 14 to 17 degrees C (57 to 63 degrees F).
Mean annual precipitations: 432 to 533 mm (17 to 21 in).
Frost-free period: 185 to 220 days.
Elevation: 792 to 1,615 m (2,600 to 5,300 ft).
Thornwaite annual P-E Index Values: 25 to 36.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:These include the similarFriona,Kimberson,Sharvana, andZitaseries.
Friona,KimbersonandSharvanasoils: are on similar landscape positions.
Zitasoils: are on lower landscape positions and do not have a petrocalcic horizon.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY:Well drained. Permeability is moderately slow. Runoff is negligible on slopes less than 1 percent and very low on 1 to 3 percent slopes.

USE AND VEGETATION:Mainly used for livestock grazing with some areas cultivated to irrigated cotton and grain sorghum. Native vegetation includes tobosa grass, buffalograss, some grama grasses, a few low shrubs and a thin over story of small mesquite trees. Ecological Site: Very Shallow PE 25-36 (R077CY037TX).

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:Southern High Plains, Southern Part (MLRA 77C in LRR H) of western Texas and eastern New Mexico. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE:Temple, Texas

SERIES ESTABLISHED:Andrews County, Texas; 1970.

REMARKS:Slaughter soils were formerly considered a shallow phase of the Stegall series.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:

Mollic epipedon: 0 to 42 cm (0 to 17 in) (A and Bt horizons).
Argillic horizon: 17 to 42 cm (7 to 17 in) (Bt horizon).
Petrocalcic horizon: 42 to 100 cm (17 to 39 in) (Bkkm horizon).
Calcic horizon: 100 to 203 cm (39 to 80 in) (BCkk horizon).

ADDITIONAL DATA:NSSL data number S12TX501007 (Yoakum County, Texas).

Taxonomic Version: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, Twelfth Edition, 2014.



National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.