Summer grazing strategies following early-season grazing of big bluestem
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Authors: E. M. Mousel, W. H. Schacht, and L. E. Moser
Date: 2003
Journal: Agronomy Journal
Volume: 95
Number:
Pages: 1240-1245
Summary of Methods: This study in Nebraska determined the effect of timing and frequency of grazing big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) pasture following a May grazing period on herbage availability and herbage disappearance for the remainder of the grazing season and stand persistence. A May grazing period followed by a recovery period of 30 days or more does not affect stand persistence and improves efficiency of use of standing forage for the remainder of the growing season. Grazing at the vegetative stage in June compared with grazing at the elongation stage in June results in higher seasonal leaf yields and harvest efficiency. Long recovery periods in midsummer result in relatively low leaf/stem ratios for the season. Minimum regrowth time in the summer appears to be 40 days. Grazing at the elongation stage in June followed by a grazing period in early August results in low stand productivity and use. The authors suggest that managers should adopt grazing strategies that rotate grazing periods at the elongation stage in June among paddocks over years. They also should avoid August grazing periods after paddocks have been grazed in June at the elongation stage to prevent damage to the stand.
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: big bluestem, andropogon gerardii, grazing, early-season grazing, basal cover, leaf/stem ratio, stand persistence, herbage production
Annotation: The experimental design was a randomized complete block with repeated measures and four replications. Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial with the following factors and levels: 1) May grazing or no May grazing, 2) June grazing at a late vegetative stage or June grazing at an early elongation stage, and 3) late-summer grazing in early August and early September or late-summer grazing in early September only. Each paddock was grazed at a cumulative stocking rate of 9.9 AUM/ha. The stocking rate was reduced by 40% for the early-August and early-September 2001 grazing periods. Before and after each grazing period, all live herbage was clipped at ground level.
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