Livestock grazing effects on forage quality of elk winter range
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Authors: P. E. Clark, W. C. Krueger, L. D. Bryant, and D. R. Thomas
Date: 2000
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 53
Number: 1
Pages: 97-105
Summary of Methods: The effects of late spring grazing on winter forage quality and quantity of bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and elk sedge were assessed in 3 plant communities selected in 3 different locations (blocks) within the study area on the Spring Big Game Winter Range Management Area in the Blue Mountains, Oregon during 1993 and 1994. Each block contained two main plots, 250 m by 800 m each with similar proportion of each plant community (bunchgrass grassland, mixed-conifer forest and pine-bunchgrass savanna). Sheep grazing occurred in a rest-rotation system with one main plot grazed in the boot stage of bluebunch wheatgrass (late spring) and grazing excluded in year one and then reversed the next year. Sheep grazed for a maximum of 3 days, or until 50% utilization was achieved on at least 1 of the 3 targeted forages (bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and elk sedge). Forage utilization and number of standing reproductive culms per plant were assessed, after grazing, at 30 sampling points of 0.5 m2 circles distributed across 5, 150-m transects per plant community per plot. In early November, the number of reproductive culms per plant for bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue was resampled along new transects. Forage samples were collected in early November and in early March of both years for crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility analyses.
Article Summary / Main Points: The number of Idaho fescue reproductive culms was reduced following late-spring grazing in the savanna community but not in bunchgrass grassland community. Late-spring grazing did not influence the number of reproductive culms in bluebunch wheatgrass as it was expected. Light to moderate late-spring grazing did not influence winter standing crop of bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and elk sedge. Crude protein of bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue and digestibility of bluebunch wheatgrass increased following moderate late-spring grazing. Well-managed, late-spring grazing can enhance bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue winter forage quality on elk winter range.
Vegetation Types: Ponderosa Pine Woodlands
MLRA Ecoregions: 43A Northern Rocky Mountains
Agrovoc Control Words: Wildlife Rangelands Grazing
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: bluebunch wheatgrass, idaho fescue, sedge, forage quality, elk
Annotation: This is a very well cited and described study that assessed the effects of late spring grazing on winter forage quality and quantity of bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and elk sedge. The authors did a great job explaining what challenges they had to overcome like effects of experience of livestock behavior, lack of information on one of the species and effects of precipitation on number of reproductive culm production in order to explain their results. Still this is a good study because they assessed livestock grazing instead of using hand clippers as other studies had done.
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