Big sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii) riparian grassland management: Annual winter burning, annual winter mowing, and spring-summer grazing
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Authors: J. R. Cox, and H. L. Morton
Date: 1986
Journal: Applied Agricultural Research
Volume: 1
Number: 2
Pages: 105-111
Summary of Methods: The effects of mowing, burning, and grazing on big sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii) grasslands were measured 80 km south of Tucson, Arizona (31° 47' N; 110° 37' W). Study area was fenced into four pastures and each pasture received one of 4 treatments (control-no treatment, spring-summer grazing, mowed followed by spring-summer grazing, and burned followed by spring-summer grazing) annually for three years. Mowing and burning treatments were applied February 27, and cattle grazed from May 1 to July 15. Live and dead biomass was sampled 8 times through the course of a growing season looking at biomass present before treatment, biomass present before grazing, forage disappearance and animal preference, and plant growth after summer growing season. Pastures were stocked with steers and heifers with a target utilization rate of 60%.
Article Summary / Main Points: Both burning and mowing reduced the amount of green big sacaton biomass available for grazing, but only burning adversely affected plant fitness. Removal of dead biomass increased the ease at which animals were able to consume live biomass, but resulted in a three-fold decrease in stocking rates. Grazed pastures had more standing biomass available for grazing, and therefore, able to sustain higher stocking rates. Grazed pastures had lower average daily gains (.45kg/day to .75 and .67 kg/day), but greater animal production per hectare (66% and 50%) as compared to the burned or mowed pastures. Big sacaton was only consumed after the other grasses were gone. Grazing and mowing did not change animal preference.
Vegetation Types: Desert Grasslands Desert Shrublands Riparian and Wetlands
MLRA Ecoregions: 40 Sonoran Basin and Range 41 Southeastern Arizona Basin and Range
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Grazing Grazing systems
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: big sacaton, sporobolus wrightii, grazing, mowing, carrying capacity, livestock production, plant production, pasture management, forage quality, standing crop
Annotation: These results are applicable to southwestern regions where big sacaton riparian areas naturally occur. Study was not replicated so data is only presented as means and standard errors for same sampling dates over the three year study. Given the results from this study burning and mowing should only be used in special circumstances. Stocking rates in big sacaton riparian pastures should factor in the variation in percent disappearance of organic matter due to environmental conditions.
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