Intensive Early Stocking and Season Long Stocking of Kansas Flint Hills Range

Abstract

Native Flint Hills bluestem range was stocked at twice the normal rate, 1.7 acres per steer. Daily steer gain and gain per acre were greater for IES. Late summer gain by steers on SLS was less than the gain during early summer on either treatment. For the complete trial, steers under SLS gained more per head, 210 lb compared with 141 lb, due to the 154-day grazing period compared with 75 for IES. Although more grass had been removed by mid summer with IES, by the end of the summer grass yield was higher on IES than on the pasture stocked only half as heavily but full season. Percent big bluestem increased under IES and decreased with SLS. Percent Kentucky bluegrass decreased under IES and increased with SLS, but that may have resulted from more complete burning under IES.