Tobosa tiller defoliation patterns under rotational and continuous stocking
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Authors: S. R. Senock, D. M. Anderson, L. W. Murray, and G. B. Donart
Date: 1993
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 46
Number: 6
Pages: 500-505
Summary of Methods: In this New Mexico study, Senock et al. compared the frequency of defoliation and change in height (defoliation intensity) on individually marked tillers of tobosa (Hilaria mutica) under high-intensity seasonal rotational stocking and low-density seasonal continuous stocking. Approximately 40% of tiller height, including leaves, was removed at each defoliation in the rotational treatment, while intensity of defoliation per grazing event remained consistent. In the continuous treatment, amount of tiller removed varied greatly and was not consistent among the 4 periods. Percentage of tillers defoliated in the rotational treatment was always greater than 75%, and always less than 30% in the continuous treatment. The much lower grazing pressure in the continuous paddock resulted in a low probability of tiller grazing and especially regrazing during any period. Reduced tiller usage in the continuous paddock indicates large amounts of forage will remain ungrazed. This study indicates that continuous stocking results in highly nonuniform usage of tobosa forage, while high-density rotational stocking results in a more uniform use.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: short duration grazing, grazing strategies, utilization, grazing pressure index
Annotation: The 2 stocking treatments used in this study consisted of a continuously stocked 33.6-ha paddock and a rotationally stocked, 34.7-ha, 1-herd, 11-paddock cell. The entire continuous paddock and one 2.9-ha area (Paddock 7) in the 11-paddock rotational cell were used to compare grazing treatments. The number of animals within each treatment was identical over years but differed between treatments based on previous data that indicated the 34.7-ha cell (number of animals=21) to be inherently more productive than the 33.6-ha continuously stocked paddock (number of animals=17). Overall seasonal stocking rates between treatments differed by 29.9 AUD/ha in 1985 but only 6.4 AUD/ha in 1986. Data was collected over 114 days in 1985. Initial monitoring began during active plant growth (August, 4 days) and a second period of monitoring was during dormancy (December, 8 days). In 1986, data was collected in July for 6 days and October for 6 days. Mean aboveground biomass was estimated in both treatments by mowing plots .
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