Some vegetation responses to selected livestock grazing strategies, Edwards Plateau, Texas

Abstract

Understanding the temporal response of vegetation to selected livestock grazing strategies is necessary for the continued maintenance or increased productivity of rangelands. Vegetation cover and above-ground biomass were sampled bimonthly from 1978-1984 on pastures grazed continuously (MCG) and moderately stocked (8.1 ha AU-1); continuously (HCG) and heavily stocked (4.6 ha AU-1); high-intensity, low-frequency (HILF) and moderately stocked (8-1; 17:119 day stocked at 8.1 ha AU-1); short-duration grazing (SDG) and heavily stocked (14-1; 4:50 day, stocked at 4.6 ha AU-1); and livestock exclusion (LEX). Prior grazing history, vegetation cover, soils, and slope were similar among pastures. Midgrass cover was eliminated in the HCG pasture, and declined in the heavily stocked SDG pasture. Midgrass cover was maintained under the moderately stocked HILF grazing strategy and increased under MCG or LEX. During 1984, sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.) basal diameter in the MCG and LEX pastures was significantly greater than in the SDG pasture. By the end of the study, total organic cover and total aboveground biomass in the MCG or LEX pastures were significantly greater than in the SDG and HCG pastures. The heavy grazing intensity used in this study, regardless of the grazing strategy, does not appear suited for long-term maintenance of midgrass species.