Animal performance and plant production form continuously grazed cool-season reclaimed and native pastures
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Authors: L. Hofmann, and R. E. Reis
Date: 1989
Journal: Journal of Range Management
Volume: 42
Number: 3
Pages: 248-251
Summary of Methods: Hofmann and Ries compared season-of-grazing use of pastures comprised of introduced and cool-season species with pastures comprised of a mix of native warm- and cool-season species with pastures comprised of a mix of native warm- and cool-season species. The study was conducted on surface-mined land in North Dakota, dominated by smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and one adjacent unmined mixed prairie. Herbage dry matter yield from reclaimed pastures was equal to or greater than yield from native pastures each year. The season-of-grazing use was no different for reclaimed cool-season pastures than for native mixed prairie, and there was no evidence that species with the same growing season as those native to the area were necessary to provide season-long grazing use. These results indicate that cool-season species, which are easier and less expensive to plant and maintain, can be used to revegetated mined lands without decreasing livestock production potential.
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: surface-mined land, warm season species, ground cover, species composition, liveweight gain, herbage dry matter
Annotation: The pasture designated Reclaimed I included a 0.62 ha of the formerly heavily grazed pasture combined with 1.24 of moderately grazed pasture. Lightly grazed pastures were reduced to 1.86 ha grazeable area and are designated Reclaimed II. Two additional pastures with 1.86 ha grazeable area were constructed on unmined native rangeland. One ungrazed-unharvested sample was obtained from each of the 6 exclosures which provided 6 subsamples from each replicate. Two exclosures in each replicate were set up. All pastures were grazed from June-September in 1982. Grazing began on 25, 30, and 29 May in 1983, 1984, and 1985 and ended on 28 September and 3 and 2 October, respectively. Each pasture was grazed at 2.9 AUM/ha.
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