Influence of leafy spurge on forage utilization by cattle
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Authors: D. G. Hein, and S. D. Miller
Date: 1992
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 45
Number: 4
Pages: 405-407
Summary of Methods: Picloram was applied to a leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) infested range site on the 5E Ranch near Grass Range, Montana (46° 50' W, 108° 50' W), but only to create different levels of leafy spurge shoot density and canopy cover. Plots, 5 x 29 m were established with 4 replications. Each plot was fenced and divided in half to allow for grazing and non-grazing on each plot. Non-grazed plots were grazed the flowing year. Cattle were grazed on test sites from the first of June and continued for 6 to 8 weeks; grazing was terminated when utilization reached 50% on leafy spurge free plots. Stocking rates averaged 2 AUM/ha. Leafy spurge shoot density was determined using four, 0.25 x 0.25 m permanent sites within each plot; percent canopy cover of grass, leafy spurge and forbs was determined from 100 data points from a 10-pin vertical point frame read along a permanent transect within each plot. Production data was calculated from samples harvested in August, dried and separated into leafy spurge, grasses, and forbs. Forage production in this study refers to only grass production. Utilization was calculated by comparing grazed and ungrazed production within the same treatment plot.
Article Summary / Main Points: Forage utilization was 52% when the weed canopy cover was reduced to 1%. However, forage utilization decreased to 5% when the canopy cover increased to 50%. As shoot density and canopy cover of leafy spurge increased forage utilization by cattle decreased. Forage utilization was not influenced by forage production. Forage utilization was approximately 45% when canopy cover of leafy spurge was 10%. As canopy cover of leafy spurge increased above 10% forage utilization decreased rapidly. Shoot density and canopy cover must be less than 10% in order to achieve a 50% utilization of other available forages.
Vegetation Types: Northern Mixed Prairie
MLRA Ecoregions: 43B Central Rocky Mountains 46 Northern Rocky Mountain Foothills
Agrovoc Control Words: Weeds Herbicides Grazing
Article Review Type: refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: euphorbia esula, picloram, grazing management, range improvement, weed management, density, canopy cover, available forage, leafy spurge
Annotation: The findings from this research are consistent with other research and provide a model to predict forage use by cattle as leafy spurge canopy cover and shoot density increases. The description in the materials and methods did not make it clear how each test plot was grazed. Were fences only left up while cattle grazed the entire pasture, or were cattle allowed into each test plot for a short period of time during the 6-8 weeks grazing period).
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