Targeted Grazing for Native Forbs in Annual Grasslands

Abstract

Targeted grazing is a promising strategy for addressing management issues in annual grasslands. We evaluated targeted cattle grazing strategies for tarweed (Hemizonia fitchii A. Gray) and vinegarweed (Trichostema lanceolatum Benth.). These native annual forbs provide biodiversity to annual grass-dominated landscapes, in addition to being important pollinator plants that discourage yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis L.) invasion. However, these forbs can form dense stands that interfere with grazing. Therefore, we sought grazing strategies that promote sparse stands to maintain livestock production while supporting other ecosystem services. Treatments were 1) early grazing when dominant annual grasses were vegetative, 2) late grazing when grasses were senescing, 3) repeated grazing, and 4) a nongrazed control. These treatments were applied in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2012, neither tarweed nor vinegarweed were observed regardless of treatment, likely due to low water availability during their major growth period. In 2011 and 2013, grazing grasses repeatedly throughout the growing season increased tarweed to 3 − 5 plants m− 2, compared with < 1 plants m− 2 in the control, and in 2011 repeated grazing also increased vinegarweed. Therefore, although environmental factors can prevent tarweed and vinegarweed from forming stands some years, defoliating grasses repeatedly from vegetative through senesced stages is the most reliable way to encourage these forbs in annual grasslands. However, a single period of defoliation can also encourage tarweed: In 2011 and 2013, we found a single period of grazing as annual grasses senesced and tarweed began rapid growth increased tarweed, possibly by increasing light availability. Finally, we found grazing once early in the growing season provided low tarweed and vinegarweed densities, likely because the long postgrazing period allowed annual grasses to recover and competitively suppress these forbs. Therefore, early grazing may reduce/prevent overly dense tarweed and vinegarweed stands. © 2019 The Society for Range Management