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Grazing distribution and utilization in warm-season pastures at four stocking densities
Abstract
The relationship between stocking density and grazing distribution was studied in eastern Nebraska in pastures seeded with a warm-season, tall grass mixture and grazed at 4 stocking densities: 9, 18, 27 and 54 steers ha$\sp{-1}.$ Each of 4 grazing units was divided into 4 paddocks ranging in size from 0.186 to 1.12 ha using a nested paddock design. Nested paddocks within each grazing unit were grazed rotationally, during 3 consecutive cycles (12, 36, and 24 days), by 10 steers averaging 282 kg for 72 days from early June to late August in 1995 and 1996. Transects (8 to 17) 12-m long were established in a grid pattern in each paddock. Six tillers each of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) were permanently marked in each transect; height and leaf length of tillers in each paddock were measured before and after grazing in the last 2 grazing cycles in both years. Estimations of grazing distribution were based on a uniformity index, which was calculated by summing the absolute differences of tiller height between adjacent transects. Utilization was estimated by the reduction in tiller height (THR) or leaf length (LLR) due to grazing. Generally, stocking density did not affect THR which ranged from 19 to 22 cm and from 29 to 38 cm among the stocking density treatments in 1995 and 1996, respectively. In most of the grazing cycles LLR for big bluestem was higher (P $<$ 0.01) than for switchgrass while THR was similar between species. Spatial grazing distribution was not affected (P $>$ 0.05) by stocking density while big bluestem was grazed more evenly (P $<$ 0.01) than switchgrass in the last cycle in each year. Results indicated that spatial grazing distribution was not affected by stocking densities from 9 to 54 steers ha$\sp{-1}.$ Big bluestem was utilized more evenly and heavily late in the grazing season than switchgrass in a mixed stand.
Subject Area
Range management|Agronomy
Recommended Citation
Burboa-Cabrera, Felix Roberto, "Grazing distribution and utilization in warm-season pastures at four stocking densities" (1997). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9805498.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9805498