Clipping Effects on Seeded Foothill Ranges in Utah

Abstract

Russian wildrye produced significantly more herbage than crested wheatgrass when clipped at intensities of 25, 50, and 75% under four clipping regimes of April, May, June, and both April and June. Thin stands of Russian wildrye were more productive than thick stands of either Russian wildrye or crested wheatgrass. Clipping in both April and June yielded the most herbage, but after five years of clipping, this treatment had the least vigorous plants. Early clipping (April) caused the least damage to plant vigor, but yielded less herbage. The heavier the intensity of clipping, the greater the amount of herbage presumably available for animal consumption, but also the lower the plant vigor. Optimum tradeoffs between herbage harvested and plant vigor appear to come from Russian wildrye or crested wheatgrass clipped 50% in April and May.